Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chandrababu Naidu has alleged that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government resorted to the pre-closure of 102 irrigation projects in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh due to vested interests coupled with its inability to take them forward.
He said the expenditure incurred on the projects undertaken in the parched region during the YSRCP tenure was just about ₹2,011 crore when compared to ₹12,411 crore spent during the TDP regime.
On the whole, then TDP government had spent roughly ₹68,295 crore on irrigation projects in the State when compared to ₹22,165 crore by the YSRCP government, said the former Chief Minister.
Interlinking of rivers
The interlinking of rivers was given a top priority and a fair amount of success was achieved before the YSRCP came to power but it apparently figured nowhere in the present government’s agenda, he said.
Andhra Pradesh had visionary Chief Ministers such as N.T. Rama Rao who had played an instrumental role in solving the water crisis in the Rayalaseema region by implementing the Telugu Ganga project, which also met the drinking water requirement of Chennai, having various other projects constructed.
“In stark contrast, by turning a blind eye to the pending irrigation projects, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy did a disservice to the parched region of Rayalaseema,” Mr. Naidu said while addressing the media at the TDP office near Mangalagiri on July 26 (Wednesday).
Mr. Naidu said then TDP government had prepared a blueprint to harness the full potential of 69 rivers but the situation had become topsy-turvy as the YSRCP government had neglected the tremendous scope for linking Godavari, Krishna, Penna, Vamsadhara and Nagavali rivers.
On the other hand, the Polavaram project made little progress as the State government had failed in mobilising funds from the Centre and due to some technical glitches, for which it was blaming the TDP, he said.
Mr. Naidu said of the 64 projects in the State, 24 were completed by then TDP government and the rest were pending and all major projects in Rayalaseema region were stuck due to the YSRCP government’s ineptitude.
“As a consequence, Rayalaseema is languishing in backwardness. Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had clearly betrayed the people of Rayalaseema, for which he will pay a heavy price,” added Mr. Naidu.
