Linking of rivers will make farming a profitable activity: Naidu
Kadapa: TDP national president and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has asserted that connectivity of rivers is AP is the only way to make agricultural cultivation a profitable activity.
As part of TDP’s ‘Yudha Bheri’ programme, the TDP supremo has visited Gandikota and Chitravathi balancing reservoirs in Kondapuram mandal in YSR district on Wednesday.
Addressing farmers at Timmapuram village in Kondapuram mandal on the occasion, the TDP national president recalled that Rs 68,000 crore was spent on irrigation projects including for connectivity of rivers during the TDP regime between 2014 and 2019 in the State. The initiative taken by the TDP government resulted in supply of 120 tmcft of water to Rayalaseema through Pattiseema project.
He said his objective was to provide water to Rayalaseema from the Polavaram project.
Stating that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan has no clarity on the construction of irrigation projects, the TDP leader pointed out that during the TDP regime, Rs 12,440 crore was spent on irrigation projects in Rayalaseema, he criticised the YSRCP government for spending only Rs 2,200 crore during the last four years.
While describing Gandikota reservoir as a big asset to YSR district, the TDP chief criticised the ruling party for implementing “destructive policies” which led to the farmers in YSR district incurring losses.
He pointed out that only 15.6 lakh acres of agricultural land is being cultivated in YSR district as against the total available land of 37.95 lakh acres.
Naidu alleged that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has hatched a plan to loot Rs 12,000 crore public money in the name of constructing 12 new irrigation projects under Rayala Drought Prevention Scheme (Rayalaseema Durbhiksha Nivarana Pathakam).
If the Chief Minister is really interested in agricultural development, why he could not secure permission from Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Central Water Commission (CWC) for the completion of irrigation projects, he asked.
Coming down heavily on the YSRCP government for its failure to clear the pending bills to contractors on the pretext of financial crisis, he asked how the State government could clear pending bills to the tune of over Rs 600 crore to Minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy.
Naidu assured that all the pending irrigation projects would be completed once the TDP returns to power in 2024 and steps would be taken to ensure that agriculture is made a profitable activity.
Earlier, the TDP supremo conducted a road show in Jammalamadugu town and alleged that local YSRCP MLA M Sudheer Reddy was extracting commissions for execution of works. “The MLA has been taking money even from chicken stalls in the town,” he alleged.