Unlike Naidu Who Relies on Alliances, People are My Strength: CM YS Jagan

Palnadu: Efforts are being made to divert the Krisha river water to the parched uplands of Palnadu soon, chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said after laying the foundation stone for Varikapudisela Lift Irrigation Scheme in the district. 

Addressing a massive public meeting here on Wednesday, CM YS Jagan said the YSR Palnadu Drought Relief Scheme will provide drinking water to 20,000 people and irrigate 24,900 acres in upland areas of Veldurthi, Uppalapadu, Gottipalla, Srigiripadu, Bodilaveedu, Gangalakunta and  Kandlakunta villages. The Varikapudisela is being built with an estimated cost of Rs 340.26 crore. 

“In the last four years, we acquired land for the project and obtained clearances from National Board of Wildlife on May 19, 2023 and from the Union Forest and Environment Ministry on Nov 6, 2023,” he said, adding that the project will change for façade of Macherla area in the days to come.

He said 1.57 TMC of water would be ferried for irrigation and drinking purposes from the project at the rate of 281 cusecs of water daily. 

When the second phase is completed, the project would provide drinking water to more than 1 lakh people and irrigate more than 1.25 lakh acres, he said.

Though Nagarjuna Sagar Project is nearby,  Macherla area was neglected for decades.  Former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu laid foundation stone for the lift irrigation project ahead of 2019 elections for political gains without obtaining clearances and acquiring land.

The construction work on the project will be taken up in phases. The project will transform the parched uplands of the region. It will not only provide drinking water but will also irrigate the agricultural lands, the chief minister said. He added that despite facing difficulties, the government continued its welfare programmes. The government has so far debited Rs 2.40 lakh crore through DBT mechanism in the bank account of women beneficiaries in the state, he added. 

పల్నాటి సీమ రూపురేఖలను సమూలంగా మార్చే దిశగా అడుగులు వేస్తూ..పల్నాడు జిల్లా మాచర్ల వద్ద వరికపూడిశెల ఎత్తిపోతల పథకం పనుల ప్రారంభం.

పల్నాడు, ప్రకాశం జిల్లాల ప్రజల చిరకాల వాంఛను నెరవేరుస్తూ, "వైఎస్సార్ పల్నాడు కరువు నివారణ పథకం" క్రింద... రూ. 340.26 కోట్ల వ్యయంతో చేపట్టనున్న… pic.twitter.com/dWhDGUclLG

— YSR Congress Party (@YSRCParty) November 15, 2023

The chief minister targetted the opposition leader Chandrababu Naidu for unnecessarily criticising the welfare schemes of the YSRCP government. He added that the government is giving housing units to over 31 lakh women beneficiaries in the state. We have confidence because our government has worked for the welfare of the people, YS Jagan said. The YSRCP government does not believe in alliance politics unlike the TDP, he added. 

MLA P. Ramakrishna Reddy, Medical and Health Minister V. Rajani, Irrigation Minister A. Rambabu, Civil Supplies Minister K. Nageswara Rao, several people’s representatives and senior officials participated in the programme.

Also Read: Madhu Yaskhi protests midnight police search of his house