Anantapur to become horticulture hub: Devineni

Anantapur: Water resources and district in-charge minister Devineni Uma Maheshwara Rao hoisted the Tricolour at the 72nd Independence Day celebrations at Police Parade Grounds here on Wednesday amidst a galaxy of district officials and political leaders.

Addressing the gathering, Devineni said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is determined to transform the district into a horticulture hub. Stating that the Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi project was aimed to irrigate 3.45 lakh acres in the Rayalaseema districts, he said Krishna water would be pumped from Muchhumarri pumping station to Jeedipalle reservoir.

The Handri Neeva canal widening is being built at a cost of Rs 1,030 crore, the minister said the government has given Rs 803.97 crores for the construction of Perur dam for diversion of Krishna river waters.

Shortly the Chief Minister will start BT project works at a cost of Rs 968.89 crores, Devineni said and added the works would be completed in 9 months. The minister said that so far Rs 4,700 crores has been spent on Handri Neeva project works.

Devineni said that 8.10 lakh farmers were benefited by the loan waiver scheme and Rs 2,744 crore had been disbursed to farmers under the scheme. Under the drip irrigation scheme, 2.32 lakh farmers were benefitted, and 2.66 lakh hectares have been brought under the scheme.

Over 3,644 acres had been brought under the fodder scheme under which individual farmers can raise fodder and supply the same to farmers taking advantage of the subsidy and incentive to fodder growers, he said and added 1,004 SC beneficiaries were supplied milch cows at a cost of Rs 4.52 crores. Also, 1,311 farmers were supplied cattle under the tribal sub-plan at a cost of Rs 3 crores. 

District Collector Veera Pandian said the Handri Neeva project would revolutionise the district and irrigate 3.5 lakh acres in the district. He said the industrialisation of the district is top on the government agenda and the Kia Motors has set the tone in the direction.

MLA V Prabhakar Choudhury spoke on the welfare and development schemes. Assets had been distributed to SC/ST beneficiaries. Several stalls had been exhibited depicting the departmental activity by all government departments.