CM berates TDP chief for failing to complete canal

Tirupati: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy made a frontal attack on TDP chief and Kuppam MLA for seven times N Chandrababu Naidu for his ‘failure’ in completing the Kuppam branch canal during his tenure in his obvious bid to dent the image of Naidu in his stronghold. “If Naidu couldn’t complete even the Kuppam Branch Canal during his 14 year stint, what he can do to the state”, he questioned.

The Chief Minister released water from the Kuppam Branch Canal at Rajupet in Ramakuppam mandal of Kuppam constituency on Monday, which will irrigate 6,300 acre afresh in Kuppam constituency and provide drinking water to 4.02 lakh people in Kuppam and Palamaner constituencies. Addressing a public meeting at Gundisettipalle in Santhipuram mandal after conducting special prayers at the canal and releasing water, the Chief Minister said the government worked with a strong commitment to the development of the constituency, though it was totally neglected during the TDP rule.

Stating that the release of water from the Kuppam Branch Canal would be written in golden letters in the region’s history, the CM said he has fulfilled his promise given to the people at a public meeting in Kuppam on September 23, 2022. “After giving administrative sanction to the Kuppam Branch Canal in 2015 and awarding the contract to his proxies, Naidu treated it as a canal of money flowing into his pockets but abandoned it later as he couldn’t find the flow enough,” he said. “Though Naidu abandoned it, the government strived hard to bring Krishna water to Kuppam, 540 metre upstream and 670 km away from Srisailam as part of the Handri Neeva project,” Jagan added.

The 123.641 km long Kuppam Branch Canal was constructed at a cost of Rs.560.29 crore under the AVR HNSS Project Phase-2 to strengthen the ayacut connecting 110 minor irrigation tanks in Kuppam constituency. The CM said the government has upgraded Kuppam from a panchayat to a municipality besides establishing a Revenue Division and a police sub-division for Kuppam. He said Rs.66 crore has been sanctioned for various development works in Kuppam municipality and Rs.100 crore for development works in four Mandals of Kuppam constituency besides giving administrative approval for the construction of Rs 215 crore reservoir as part of the Palar project.

The government has also given administrative approval for the construction of two reservoirs at Madanapalle near Shantipuram Mandal and Yamigani Palle near Gudipalli Mandal with a cost of Rs 535 crore. These reservoirs will irrigate an additional 5000 acre, he said. Earlier, the Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone for the Palar project.

Taking a jibe at TDP chief, the CM affirmed that Naidu has totally neglected the constituency though it elected him as MLA seven times and is not worthy to be a Chief Minister, he criticised.

He said Naidu neither owns a house in Kuppam nor did he give anything to the people of the constituency though they gave him everything and he neglected the BCs who form majority in Kuppam. “As he can’t claim to have implemented even a single welfare scheme for the benefit of people, Naidu has forged alliances with foster son and others and is ready to cheat people again with false promises and deceptive alliances,” Jagan criticised. The CM called upon the people to elect Bharat as MLA in the next elections while showing the door to Chandrababu Naidu.

Ministers Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy, Ambati Rambabu, RK Roja, K Narayana Swamy, MLC KRJ Bharath, ZP Chairperson Govindappa Srinivasulu, MPs N Reddeppa, P Midhun Reddy, Collector S Shan Mohan and others took part in the programmes.