Grave injustice to Rayalaseema projects

Tirupati: The AP Budget presented in the Assembly on Thursday has done grave injustice to the backward Rayalaseema as none of the projects found a place in the priority list given in the budget for allocation of funds for irrigation, slammed Makireddy Purushottam Reddy, the convener of Rayalaseema Intellectual Forum (RIF).

Reacting to the budget, in a press release here on Thursday, Purushottam Reddy said that only a meagre amount of Rs 11,000 crore was allocated to irrigation with first priority to Polavaram followed by Velugonda and Uttarandhra projects and gave fourth priority to Galeru-Nagari in the region.

'In other words, the meagre allocations and priority being given to the projects in other regions will clarify that Rayalaseema projects will not get any funds for completion,' he expressed concern over neglecting Seema projects.

Further, the convener of RIF stated that the delay in the completion of Seema projects would endanger the interests of the region as it ultimately strengthens the claims of Karnataka utilising more waters by completing its projects, including the recent Upper Bhadra project.

Despite knowing well that improving irrigation is the only way left for Seema development, the government failed to provide any

funds even to the approved projects in the region, including HLC, LLC

Handri Niva, Gundrevulu, Siddeswara etc, Purushottam Reddy said and expressed his disappointment on the budget.