Naidu’s ‘silent revolution’ in irrigation: Keshav

Amaravati: Finance minister Payyavula Kesav said a ‘silent revolution’ was underway in the state’s irrigation sector under the leadership of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, aimed at ensuring water security for every farmer and every family in the state.

Addressing the Collectors Conference on Thursday, Kesav said the Chief Minister’s commitment to the irrigation sector had resulted in the launching of the Handri-Neeva project and the release of water from the Polavaram Left Main Canal. Ministers and district Collectors gave a standing ovation to Chandrababu Naidu in recognition of his efforts towards strengthening irrigation infrastructure. Kesav said while the completion and launching of major irrigation projects were visible to everyone, the relentless efforts of the Chief Minister, who worked day and night to push forward several projects, often went unnoticed.

He said Chandrababu Naidu was the first to introduce drip irrigation in the State. The cost of drip irrigation, which was earlier around Rs 16 per metre, had now come down to Rs 1.60 per metre. This had made drip irrigation more accessible to farmers and turned it into a major boon for horticulture in the Rayalaseema region, helping create greater wealth for farmers. The finance minister recalled that several political parties and individuals had initially opposed the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Project. However, the project was now playing a crucial role in stabilising the Krishna delta ayacut. He said around 500 TMC ft of water had been diverted to the Krishna river through Pattiseema, equivalent to filling the Prakasam Barrage nearly 200 times.

Kesav said the Chief Minister’s commitment to irrigation development had also received national recognition, with a leading English daily describing Chandrababu Naidu as a ‘CEO CM’ and a ‘water man’. Thanking the ministers and collectors for the recognition, Chandrababu Naidu said it was the collective responsibility of everyone to ensure water security for all people and all regions of Andhra Pradesh.

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