VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu met Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil in New Delhi on Friday and appealed for immediate Central support to expedite major irrigation and drinking water projects in the State.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister sought urgent financial assistance for projects approved as part of the assurances under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. He urged the Centre to convene a high-level review meeting to resolve long-pending issues. Stressing that water security is critical for the state, he called for stronger Centre–State coordination on both irrigation and drinking water requirements.
Naidu requested an additional Rs 1,000 crore for Andhra Pradesh under the Jal Jeevan Mission for the 2025–26 financial year. He informed the Union Minister that the State had already contributed Rs 524.41 crore as its share and urged the Centre to release the pending Central share at the earliest.
The Chief Minister brought to the minister’s notice that the State had submitted proposals for the restoration of tanks and canals under the PMKSY–RRR scheme. He said the timely release of Central funds would significantly boost irrigation capacity in rural areas.
Naidu also appealed for the immediate clearance of pending approvals related to various components of the Polavaram National Project. He briefed Minister Patil on the progress of the works and said a detailed report on funding requirements for Phase-II works would soon be submitted to the Centre. The Chief Minister expressed concern that the Vamsadhara Water Disputes Tribunal (VWDT) verdicts were yet to be fully implemented.
Highlighting the urgent need to construct the Neradi Barrage to address drought conditions in Srikakulam district, he sought clear guidelines from the Centre to ensure Andhra Pradesh’s rights are safeguarded.