Stating that now all the reservoirs in Rayalaseema are flourishing, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said that he has gained the courage to turn Rayalaseema into Ratnalaseema. CM Chandrababu, who visited Nandyal district, released water after the completion of the expansion work of Handri Neeva Phase-1 canals. He turned on three motors at the Mallyala pumping station in Nandikotkur mandal of the district after performing a water aarti.
With the release of water, the drinking and irrigation water problems of Rayalaseema will be solved. After 12 years, 40 TMC of water has become available to the region. The Chief Minister examined the project alignment, ayacut and Krishna River Basin maps. He watched the water release from the pumping station viewpoint.
Later, speaking, CM Chandrababu wished all the farmers who will benefit from Handri Neeva water. He said that he will never forget the satisfaction of providing water to Rayalaseema. He reminded that NTR had said that he would provide water to Chennai only after providing water to Rayalaseema. He said that he himself had initiated the Handree Neeva in the past.
The Handree Neeva water will flow for 550 km and will go to Chittoor and Kuppam. He said that 6 lakh acres will receive irrigation water through Handree Neeva and about 4 TMC of water can be carried through Mallayala. He said that SRBC, Muchumarri and Mallyala canals will come from Srisailam. He said that another canal will go to Anantapur, Pattikonda and Gollapalli from Handree Neeva.
Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav lamented that former CM Jaganmohan Reddy is trying to create anarchy in Rayalaseema, but CM Chandrababu is working to bring light into our lives. He recalled that the capacity of Handri Neva canal was increased to 12 pumps in just 100 days.
Irrigation Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu accused Jagan had betrayed Rayalaseema like no other CM had done. He said that Chandrababu had done in a year what Jagan could not do in five years in a year. He said that theirs is the government that kept its promise to provide water to Handri Neva. He said that they are providing water to 8 lakh acres by spending Rs. 3,890 crores for Handri Neva.
