Andhra Pradesh adds 11 more projects to irrigation calendar
Amaravati, May 18
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday directed officials to include 11 more irrigation projects in the list of 25 high-priority projects and follow the Irrigation Calendar for their timely completion.
The Chief Minister had unveiled an Irrigation Calendar covering 25 irrigation projects during the recent Collectors' Conference.
At a review meeting on irrigation projects at the Secretariat, the Chief Minister instructed officials to include 11 additional priority irrigation projects in the calendar, in addition to the projects already announced.
He said there should be no negligence in implementing these works and directed Finance Department officials to ensure adequate funding for land acquisition and civil works.
He further instructed officials to treat both the previously announced 25 projects and the newly added 11 projects as priority projects and execute them in line with the Irrigation Calendar schedule.
Officials informed the Chief Minister that 88 per cent of civil works on the Polavaram Project have been completed, 93 per cent of land acquisition has been completed, and 45 per cent of rehabilitation and resettlement relocation has been completed.
The Chief Minister was also informed that the twin tunnels connecting the Polavaram Right Canal are 85 per cent complete.
Works on the left canal approach channel, head regulator, and irrigation tunnel are currently underway.
Officials also informed the Chief Minister about progress on other projects.
Under Handri-Neeva Phase-1, 92 per cent of canal widening has been completed, while 85 per cent of lining work on the Kuppam-Punganur canals under Phase-2 has been completed.
Officials further stated that, for the first time, 52 billion cubic feet of water had been diverted from the Malyala Lift Scheme to the Rayalaseema region, filling 432 tanks completely.
Since June 2024, an expenditure of Rs 2,123 crore has been incurred.
The Chief Minister stated that East Coast Reservoir Flood Flow Canal Dam Gap-1 and Gap-2 works must be completed within the stipulated timeline.
Water should be supplied through the left canal via the Purushothapatnam Lift Scheme from July this year.
Once the Polavaram waters reach Meghadrigedda through the left canal, they should be further linked to Vamsadhara, Nagavali, and Champavathi.
A study should be conducted on the cost of the Meghadrigedda-Champavathi link.
He also directed that compensation to displaced families under the Polavaram rehabilitation and resettlement package be implemented strictly in accordance with law and that relocation be completed by April 2027 without dispute.
Additionally, he proposed constructing an iconic bridge downstream of the Polavaram spillway, envisioning it as a major tourism landmark.
The Chief Minister directed officials to ensure that Phase 1 of the Veligonda Project is completed by July.
He noted that Rs 2,019 crore more is required for pending works, including head works, canals, distributaries, land acquisition, and rehabilitation and resettlement packages.
Officials were instructed to remove tunnel boring machine-related obstacles and complete the work within the deadline.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good initiative by CM to add 11 more projects, but I'm a bit skeptical about the deadlines. Remember the Veligonda project delays? Now they say Phase 1 by July 2024—let's see. Also, iconic bridge on Polavaram spillway sounds nice for tourism, but wouldn't that money be better spent on completing the rehabilitation of displaced families? 45% relocation done after all these years is not acceptable. #AndhraPradesh #Irrigation
As someone from Guntur district, this is welcome news. The left canal linking Polavaram to Meghadrigedda and further to Vamsadhara and Nagavali will be a game-changer for northern coastal AP. Farmers have been suffering due to erratic monsoons. However, Rs 2,123 crore spent since June 2024 is huge—need transparent auditing. Hope the promised water reaches our fields soon. 🙏
Interesting to see the scale of irrigation planning here—Polavaram alone involves massive civil works, tunnels, and canal systems. The irrigation calendar concept is smart for coordination. But the compensation and R&R for displaced families must be humane and timely, not just legal compliance. April 2027 for relocation seems far away.
Honest question: how many of these 36 projects will actually be completed on time? We keep hearing about 'priority' projects but ground reality is different. In Kurnool, Handri-Neeva Phase-2 canal lining at 85% is good, but the water distribution system downstream needs work. Also, 52 TMC diverted to Rayalaseema filling 432 tanks is excellent—hope this isn't a one-time thing due to elections. 🤔
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