Priority projects will be completed in 3 yrs: Chandrababu Naidu

Amaravati: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that all priority projects will be completed within three years. While releasing fifth White Paper at a press conference at his residence at Undavalli in Guntur on Thursday, the Chief Minister said that there are 62 priority irrigation projects in the State. Out of which, already 17 were completed and 6 are ready for inauguration, 26 are under progress and the remaining 13 are yet to be commenced.

Chandrababu Naidu released fifth White Paper on ‘Natural Resources Management’ in the State for the last four and half years of TDP ruling.
On this occasion, he said that natural resources management is vital for industrial development like setting up of steel plant in Kadapa district, Kia Motors in Anantapur etc.

“We don’t realise the importance of the water when we have excess water, but those who have been suffering with water scarcity only realize it,’’ he added. He said that the people in the Rayalaseema region have been suffering with water scarcity. But, because of the water management, the horticulture sector performed excellent in Rayalaseema. He said that the state government has been implementing a vision on water management.

“If water level beneath the ground goes beyond 8 metres depth, then there will be problem. Hence we used them judiciously in the State. We have dug farm ponds and established a water network with the available ponds. Constructed check dams and achieved interlinking of rivers, ” he said. Pattiseema and Purushottapatnam helped in diverting Godavari water.

The state government has been giving top priority to interlinking of rivers he said and added that he aimed to interlink all the rivers in the state. Plans to link Godavari, Penna in Phase I, NS right main canal to Somasila in Phase II, NS right main canal to Tirupati through gravity will be completed. Vamsadhara-Nagavali, Uttarandhra Sujala Sravati up to Visakhapatnam aimed. Bahuda and Vamsadhara rivers are to be connected, he said.

“Action plan is being prepared for climate change mitigation. To make the state as most liveable in the country, we have been preparing action plan on quality of air, water and other natural resources,’’ he further said. Government sorted out the drinking water problem in the state. Within next two years, sufficient water will be provided to both agriculture and industrial sectors, he further said.

As on today, we have spent more than Rs 16,000 crore on Polavaram. Recently the radial gates erected. By December 2019, in all practical means, we will complete construction, he explained. A huge amount of 62,500 crore was spent on water resources, 3,348 cascades developed, 4,735 ponds interconnected, ensured ground water levels between 3 to 8 metres depth and constructed 93,308 check dams, 27,866 perculation tanks and 8.4 lakh farm ponds dug.

“We are number one in increasing green cover in the country. New concepts like Nagara Vanam, Palle Vanam and others eco tourism concepts introduced. Air quality machines installed at Amaravati, Visakhapatnam, Rajamahendravaram, Vijayawada, Tirupati and other areas,’’ he said.

Government is monitoring water quality by establishing 51 stations. Renewable energy is 22 percent in the state at present and by 2022, we will reach to more than 40 percent, he added.