Andhra CM Naidu Urges Centre for War-Footing Support to Complete Polavaram Project
He made the appeal during a meeting with Union Minister of Jal Shakti C. R. Patil in New Delhi, alongside Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan.
Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has called on the Centre to provide support for the swift completion of the Polavaram project.
He made the appeal during a meeting with Union Minister of Jal Shakti C. R. Patil in New Delhi, alongside Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan.
Request for Reimbursement and Support for Polavaram Project
CM Naidu took to social media platform ‘X’ to share details of their discussions. He stated that they had requested reimbursement for expenses related to the construction of the Polavaram Left and Right canals, as well as additional support to expedite the completion of the project.
“We also sought Sri Paatil Garu’s backing for the Polavaram Banakacherla Link project, which aims to transfer 200 TMC of floodwater from the Godavari river at Polavaram to Banakacherla through a link canal,” said the Chief Minister.
Significance of Banakacherla Link Project
The Banakacherla Link project is seen as a crucial initiative to make the state drought-proof. It is expected to provide drinking water to 80 lakh people, irrigate 3 lakh hectares of new land, and supplement 9.14 lakh hectares. Additionally, the project will allocate 20 TMC of water for industrial use, which is crucial for the state’s development.
CM Naidu’s National Capital Visit
CM Naidu and Pawan Kalyan were in Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new Chief Minister of Delhi, Rekha Gupta. During their visit, CM Naidu is also expected to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Minister for Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Also Read: Andhra Pradesh Hit by GBS Outbreak: Two Lives Lost, Health Officials on High Alert!
Discussing State Issues with Union Ministers
The Chief Minister is expected to discuss various state-related issues with Union Minister Amit Shah, while he plans to address concerns regarding chilli farmers with Union Minister Chouhan. Naidu has previously written several letters to the Centre regarding the problems faced by chilli farmers and intends to directly raise the matter with the Union Minister to seek Central assistance.
Appreciation for Central Assistance
In a separate development, CM Naidu thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for sanctioning Rs 608.08 crore for disaster and flood relief in the state. On Wednesday, the High-Level Committee (HLC), chaired by Home Minister Shah, approved an additional Rs 1,554.99 crore in Central assistance for five states affected by floods, landslides, and cyclonic storms last year.
