The Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) is an answer to the water crisis in the parched Rayalaseema region, chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy said after inaugurating the first phase of the much awaited `2,783 crore lift irrigation scheme at Malyala village in Nandikotkur mandal of Kurnool district on Sunday.
“After Komaram Bheem, Kinnerasani, Nettampadu, this is the fourth mega irrigation project that was inaugurated during my chief ministerial tenure unde r the J a l a y a gnam scheme,” said the chief minister, adding that the scheme will ensure irrigation for 6 lakh hectares.
After the completion of first and second phase of the works, the project will cater to the drinking water need of around 35 lakh people in the four districts (Kadapa, Chittoor , Anantapur and Kurnool) in Rayalaseema region, Kiran Reddy said.
The chief minister, who earlier inaugurated a small lift irrigation scheme at Nagaloti village in the same mandal, named it after the former Congress MP Maddur Subba Reddy. He also promised that sluice gates would be built at Malyala village to release irrigation water to the nearby agricultural lands.
A bypass road will be sanctioned to Nandikotkur town soon, he said. Union railway minister for states Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy, PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana, revenue minister Raghuveera Reddy, major irrigation minister Sudarshan Reddy, minor irrigation minister T.G.Venkatesh, law minister Erasu Prathap Reddy, district in-charge minister Kondru Murali, MPs SPY Reddy, Anantha Venkatarami Reddy, MLAs Labbi Venkataswami, Katasani Rambhupal Reddy, Katasani Rami Reddy, Silpa Mohan Reddy, Murali Krishna, Niraja Reddy, MLC Sudhaar Babu, council chairman Chakrapani Yadav and others were also present.