NE NEWS SERVICE
RAYACHOTI (KADAPA DIST.), DEC 25
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy laid the foundation stone for a slew of projects in Rayachoti constituency on Tuesday for which Rs 23,000 crore has been allocated, including Galeru-Nagari irrigation project, underground drainage and beautification project for the town, minority residential school, village secreatariat buildings, upgrading the government hospitals to 100 beds from 50 beds and the building of rajagopuram of Veerabhadra Swami tempe, among others.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said Rayalaseema is the most under-developed region in the state in the provision of drinking and irrigation water.
The late Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy had constructed Velagallu reservoir in this region. The outer ring road for Rayachoti was also constructed under his regime. But after his death, this region has not seen any development for the past 10 years. The previous government had promised to develop the region, but had done nothing. The present government has allocated Rs 2,000 crore for the purpose even without asking for it.
“I have seen the problems that you were facing during my padayatra and promised to come to your aid once I assume power. To fulfil the promises that I made, today I am unveiling a lot of development programmes for the region. In all, 2000 cusecs of water would be lifted at Pamuluru in Vempalli mandal under GNSS, Galeru-Nageri Srujala Sravanti project and taken to Kaleti Vagu reservoir,” said the Chief Minister
Kaleti Vagu reservoir capacity would be raised from 0.22 TMC feet to 1.2 TMC feet.
From that reservoir water would be diverted to Khekkarayipeta, Lakkireddipalli and Ramapuram Mandals through one branch canal and to HNSS-Handri-Neeva Srujala Sravanto through the second branch canal. From there it would be diverted to Vellugallu reservoir. From there it would be diverted to Srinivasapuram reservoir in Rayachoti through the HNSS. It would be diverted to Adavipalli reservoir in Chittoor district to cover Chittoor and Piler constituencies. This would serve the irrigation and drinking water needs of Rayachoti, Tamballapalli and Chittoor constituencies for which Rs 1,272 crore is going to be spent. Palamaner, Kuppam, Punganur and Madanapalle in Chittoor district would also be irrigated by this project.
The Chief Minister said as never before, we had seen water brimming at Srisailam project due to heavy rains and 800 TMC feet water went waste into the sea from Prakasam barrage. This wastage of water could have been averted if the previous regime had modernised the canal system. The storage capacity of Srisailam project has drastically fallen to 400 TMC feet over the years and similarly, 3000 TMC feet water from Godavari river is going waste into the sea.
A plan has been devised to bring the excess Godavari river water to Rayalaseema and also irrigate the lands in Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore districts by constructing an irrigation project at Bollepalli and Banakacherla to see that Rayalaseema never gets dry for which Rs 60 crore would be spent, he said.
The Chief Minister said with the blessings of the people he would implement all the projects in the State very soon.
