ELURU: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has said 25 irrigation schemes from Srikakulam to Kurnool in the State will be completed within three months. Despite heavy rain, the Chief Minister inspected the progress of Polavaram project works on Monday afternoon. He visited the Block-3 of the spillway and deep cut area of the project.
Engineer-in-Chief M Venkateswara Rao, Polavaram Project Chief Engineer VS Ramesh Babu and Water Resources Principal Secretary Shashi Bhushan Kumar apprised him of the progress of Polavaram project works.
Later, Naidu handed over appointment letters to the newly recruited Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs). In all, 518 AEEs were newly recruited by the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC).
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said recruitment of 518 AEEs at one go in the Water Resources Department was a record. The recruitment took place after a gap of one decade. Setting a new precedent, the Water Resources Department handed over the appointment letters to the new recruits at the Polavaram project site.
The Chief Minister exhorted the AEEs to work with dedication and commitment as they are lucky enough to be associated with the mega irrigation project. Andhra Pradesh will be among the top three States in the country by 2020. By 2050, it will be numero uno in growth in the world, he said. The Chief Minister further said water is precious now and it will decide the world of any State. Now, there are disputes between riparian States over sharing of water. The State government is able to save crops in Krishna delta by diverting Godavari water through the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme.
Interlinking of perennial rivers will help make use of precious water in an optimum water. Otherwise, the excess water goes waste into the sea during floods.
Conservation of rain and river water will also help increase the groundwater table, he said.
Later, the Chief Minister administered an oath to the newly recruited AEEs.
Ministers Devineni Umamaheswara Rao and KS Jawahar, Polavaram MLA Modiyam Srinivasa Rao, MP Thota Seetharama Lakshmi and others were also present on the occasion.