VISAKHAPATNAM: Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister P Narayana announced that the State government has sanctioned Rs 10,200 crore to provide safe drinking water across 123 municipalities in the State.
Speaking at a review meeting held at the VMRDA conference hall alongside Elamanchili MLA Sundarapu Vijay Kumar and Nellimarla MLA Lokam Naga Madhavi, the Minister outlined extensive infrastructure plans while criticising the former YSRCP administration.
Minister Narayana stated that the State is actively laying water pipelines under the AMRUT scheme and other initiatives, with the goal of providing tap water connections to every household.
He noted that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has also sanctioned Rs 5,500 crore for constructing and repairing municipal roads, which will be executed as soon as the ongoing underground drainage (UGD) and pipeline works are completed.
Additionally, the government is executing Rs 4,200 crore worth of UGD projects under the Urban Challenge Fund (UCF) with central assistance.
Launching a scathing attack on the previous government, Narayana accused the YSRCP of diverting municipal tax revenues meant for local body development and altering laws arbitrarily. He criticised the previous regime for imposing a garbage tax.
The Minister announced Rs 269 crore for UGD and drainage works across Narsipatnam (Rs 27 crore), Nellimarla (Rs 24 crore), Yelamanchili (Rs 24 crore), and Vizianagaram (Rs 194 crore).
An additional Rs 139 crore requested by local MLAs for municipal road construction will also be sanctioned.