Naidu for linking Krishna, Penna

• It will speed up progress in coastal and Rayalaseema districts
• Lays foundation stone for Kandaleru Left Canal lift irrigation scheme taken up at a cost of Rs 62 crore
• Asks officials to complete it in one year
• Says AP will be turned into a developed State by 2022

Nellore: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the State would be among the developed States in the country by 2022. He also said the government would linke Krishna and Penna rivers for the benefit of Rayalaseema.

He pointed out that Gujarat is now the first in the country in terms of progress in industrial sector. He said he was planning to turn the State into an industrial hub.

Naidu said the Krishnapatnam Port would be developed as an industrial city. Krishnapatnam-Bngalore industrial corridor would be developed through investments from international organisations.

He said the State government was inviting industry majors from across the globe to invest in the State. Naidu said that the capital would be constructed in such a manner that it would be more attractive than Singapore and Dubai.

The CM laid foundation stone for Kandaleru Left Canal lift irrigation scheme on Friday. He said the scheme being taken up at a cost of Rs 62 crore would be useful as the canals in catchment area get affected every year whenever water level at Kandaleru reservoir dips to 30 tmc ft from its maximum level of 68 tmc ft. Around 22,000 acres land will be benefitted and the lift irrigation scheme would be completed within one year, he added. Naidu also said they were concentrating on early completion of Sangam, Penna barrages and Kavali canal for improving irrigation in the district.

He also visited Sangam and Nellore barrages and interacted with officials of irrigation department in the city. When we are focusing on State-of-the-art capital region and progress of Andhra Pradesh with many programmes, even other States were also supporting the efforts by way of extending their cooperation.

“But, unfortunately, our opposition party members (Jagan) had not attended the capital foundation event. This is the State of affairs in the State,” Naidu regretted. The Chief Minister said they were focusing on agriculture sector and measures for the benefit of farmers. Efforts are on to augment water resources. The government was taking up novel initiatives like linking of rivers.

He said Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme linking Godavari and Krishna rivers would be completed within next six months. He also said they will be linking Krishna and Penna rivers for development of Rayalaseema and coastal districts.

The Chief Minister said the State government provided Rs 1,500 crore towards waiver of interest on loans of SHGs and also released Rs 3,000 for each member. He assured that they would provide remaining Rs 7,000 shortly. He said Kavali canal would be renamed as Bezawada Papireddy Canal. The government allocated Rs 3 crore to Juvvaladinne village where Amarajeevi Potti Sriramulu was born and brought up. He also assured that Rs 30 crore for Degapudi-Gotlapalem canal.

Ministers Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, Sidda Raghava Rao, MLCs Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, Beeda Ravichandra, Vakati Narayana Reddy, legislator Kurugondla Ramakrishna and former minister Adala Prabhakara Reddy were also present.

The CM will visit Nellore city on Saturday to observe sanitation conditions in the wake of increase in dengue and malaria cases.