VIJAYAWADA: Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu has said 299 out of 517 tanks in the Handri-Neeva project command area have been filled with Krishna water, bringing much-needed relief to the drought-prone Rayalaseema region.
Speaking at a review meeting held at the Kurnool Irrigation CE office on Tuesday, he commended officials for completing the main canal works on schedule, and urged them to monitor water flow up to Kuppam without any hitches.
The Handri-Neeva project, often called the ‘Heart of Rayalaseema’, was neglected during the previous YSRCP regime, Nimmala alleged. “What they did not achieve in five years, the TDP-led NDA government has accomplished it in just one year,” he claimed, highlighting the stark contrast in governance.
He criticised the previous regime for superficial efforts like staging “cinema set” events with rented tankers, fake gates, and even importing flowers from Bengaluru for project inauguration. Former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who claims Rayalaseema as his darling child, had neglected irrigation projects in the drought-prone region, he alleged.
Under Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s visionary leadership, the government has stored 844 TMC in reservoirs against the total capacity of 961 TMC, achieving 87.86% storage, ensuring water for every acre, Nimmala said.
The Handri-Neeva project spans 38 Assembly constituencies in Rayalaseema, with its canals feeding 517 tanks. Of these, 174 have been fully filled, and 125 partially, totalling 299 tanks. The remaining tanks will be prioritised, and filled by February, ushering in a “water fiesta” across the region.
The Water Resources Minister highlighted that `3,850 crore was invested to channel Krishna water over 738 km to Kuppam. Responsibilities for filling and monitoring tanks in each constituency have been assigned to irrigation and revenue officials, including collectors, tahsildars and VROs. In the project’s second phase, Madakasira branch canal works will soon supply water to Hindupur, Madakasira and Penugonda constituencies, he elaborated.
The Chief Minister’s ambition is to extend water from Adivipalli Reservoir (400-554 km) via Neeva to Tirupati Kalyani Dam, transforming Rayalaseema into ‘Ratanala Seema’. The NDA is committed to development of Rayalaseema, he affirmed.
