VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh Irrigation minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao said that despite a fiscal deficit of Rs 15000 crore, the Government had spent Rs 11,000 crore on irrigation projects.
Speaking to media persons, here Tuesday, he said the government’s chief objective is to complete all the pending irrigation projects and to address the drinking and irrigation water needs of the Rayalaseema region. “Phase I works of Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi and Galeru Nagari Sujala Sravanthi will be completed by June 2016. This will partially address the drought problem in Rayalaseema region,” he said.
Finding fault with those criticising the State government for taking up Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Project and allocating works on nomination basis, the minister said that to ensure transparency in the works and their speedy completion, the ministers and the district collectors are personally standing at the canal bunds to monitor the works.
“Works were given on nomination basis so as to complete them quickly. The allegations that there are financial irregularities are completely baseless” he said and accused the critics of trying to create obstacles on the path of state’s development.
Sanctioning works pertaining to 220 KV Power sub-station for Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Project on nomination basis and submitting bills for Rs 2,560 crore spent on Polavaram Right Main Canal to the Central Government for reimbursement are being needlessly criticised, the minister said.
He claimed that it was only due to inter-linking of Krishna and Godavari through Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Project that 8.8 TMC of water could be released to Krishna delta to save standing crops worth Rs 2,400 crore. He also lashed out at those criticising construction of temporary secretariat and said that people would teach these critics a fitting lesson.