There was a heated debate in the AP Legislative Council on the lining work and increasing the flow of the Handri Neeva canal. YSRCP member Shivaramir Reddy demanded that the lining work of the Handri Neeva canal be stopped. He cautioned that if the lining is done, the groundwater will not increase and there is a possibility of increasing the flow.
He demanded that the flow of the Handri Niva be increased to 10,000 cusecs. However, Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav fired back, saying that the YSRCP members were misleading the House by telling lies about the Handri Niwa. The minister said that the Handri Niva is the result of NTR’s efforts and that the government is ready to discuss it even for a day.
Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu gave a bold reply to the allegations of the YSRCP members and said that the Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has taken steps to double the water flow through the Handri Niva by June 2025. He said that CM Chandrababu Naidu has decided to increase the flow of Handri Niwa from 2200 cusecs to 3850 cusecs.
He revealed that the coalition government has allocated Rs. 3240 crores in the budget for Handri Niva without allocating such a big amount to any other project. He said that by increasing the flow, additional water will be transferred to many areas in Kurnool and Anantapur districts.
He said that there are proposals to develop 195 tanks from 216 to 400 kilometers of Handri Neeva canal. He said that after bringing the flow of Godavari water through the Banakacherla project, more water will be provided to Rayalaseema. He said that the CM has decided to significantly increase the flow of water through Handri Niva in phases in the future.
YSRCP members who are saying that Handri Neeva canal lining is not allowed, questioned why they did not keep quiet when Jaganmohan Reddy government gave the order in the past? The minister questioned why the flow was not increased by a single cusec during the YSRCP regime in the last five years?
He also asked why even a rupee was not spent on Handri Niva work in the last five years? If Chandrababu Naidu installed motors at Mallya to increase the flow, why were they not used during Jagan’s regime? He asked why a YSRCP leader did not object when water was being transported from Kuppam to Chittoor through pipes?
The Minister made it clear that if the Handri Neva canal is lined, Rayalaseema will have a chance to become fertile.He assured that the coalition government will take the responsibility of making Rayalaseema fertile.
