KADAPA: Dedicating the Rs 208 crore Veligallu project to the nation in Galivedu mandal today, Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy vowed to ensure proper irrigation facility to farm land in the entire State, including the backward Telangana region and drought-prone Kadapa and Anantapur districts.
Speaking at a public meeting after releasing water from Veligallu project, the Chief Minister reiterated that the main objective of Jala Yagnam was to boost the growth of agriculture sector. No stone would be left unturned to ensure completion of irrigation projects taken up under Jala Yagnam as per schedule, he said.
Taking a dig at TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu, who laid the foundation stone for the project in 1995 when he was the Chief Minister, Reddy said Congress leaders planted seven saplings at the project site in 2003 protesting the delay in commencement of works. After coming to the power, we completed the irrigation project within four and half years, he said.
The Chief Minister said Srinivasapuram Reservoir would be constructed at a cost of Rs 300 crore and linked to Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) to increase the ayacut in the region. ``We are waging legal battles with Karnataka and Maharashtra for our legitimate share in river water. We are making every effort to ensure that the State gets more water. Plans are afoot to bring one lakh more acres under cultivation with the surplus water from Krishna river. If one fourth of Godavari river water is utilised effectively, every acre in the State can be irrigated.’’ ``In order to ensure that 16.5 lakh acres in seven districts of Telangana are irrigated, we have taken up Pranahita and Chevalla Lift Irrigation Project at a cost of Rs 38,500 crore.