Amaravati: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Friday vowed to make Andhra Pradesh a drought-free state, driving the agenda with major irrigation and water management projects.
During a short discussion on the Water Resources Department in the Legislative Assembly, Naidu declared that the Polavaram project’s diaphragm wall would be finished by December 25. He pointed out that water from the Srisailam reservoir had already been diverted to Kuppam, his home constituency, and promised that repairs to the Somasila project would be completed before the next irrigation season.
Naidu stressed that diverting Godavari waters from Polavaram to Banakacherla would transform Rayalaseema into a fertile and prosperous region.
It may be recalled that the proposed Polavaram–Banakacherla link aims to tap Godavari floodwaters that currently flow into the Bay of Bengal, with potential to divert over 1,000 TMC. Telangana, however, has opposed the project, citing violations of CWC rules and Godavari water-sharing allocations.
Earlier in the session, ministers answered questions raised by members during the Question Hour.