Rayalaseema being transformed into a horticulture hub: CM Chandrababu Naidu
Kurnool: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday asserted that Rayalaseema, once plagued by chronic drought, is now being transformed into a major horticulture hub due to the focused efforts of the TDP government. He said the region is currently producing over 200 lakh metric tonnes of horticultural produce annually. The Chief Minister credited his government for providing irrigation water through multiple means, including drip irrigation, and assured that there would be no increase in electricity charges in the future so that people are not burdened.
Naidu said a significant portion of the government’s expenditure is being diverted towards repaying the massive debts incurred by the previous regime. Declaring himself a son of Rayalaseema, he recalled that late N.T. Rama Rao was also a beloved leader from the region. He alleged that while the TDP government had spent Rs 72,000 crore on irrigation projects, the previous ruler spent only about Rs. 2,000 crore. He accused the former government of submerging the Polavaram project into the Godavari, mismanaging the diaphragm wall, and causing a loss of Rs.400 crore, forcing the present government to reconstruct it at an additional cost of Rs.1,000 crore.
The Chief Minister alleged large-scale misuse of public funds by the previous administration and reiterated that the Polavaram project would be completed and dedicated to the nation by the time of the Godavari Pushkarams. He highlighted that through the Pattiseema project, Godavari water was diverted to the Krishna delta, enabling the diversion of Srisailam water to Rayalaseema. Without such foresight, he said, the region would not have received water nor seen relief from long-standing hardships. He added that completion of the Gollapalli project also ensured water supply to Kia Motors, stressing that availability of water not only boosts agriculture but also attracts industries.
Emphasising the need for river interlinking, Naidu said the government is committed to providing irrigation to every acre across the state, including Rayalaseema. He criticised attempts to stage “dramas” in the name of the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme without proper approvals, pointing out that the NGT had already stalled such projects. He assured completion of key projects such as Vedavathi in West Kurnool, Guru Raghavendra, Rajolibanda, and steps to ensure increased utilisation of Tungabhadra dam waters for Kurnool. On the Gundrevula project, he said consultations with neighbouring states would resolve inter-state issues. Naidu concluded by stating that although his government had sanctioned 120 projects in Rayalaseema before 2019, the previous rulers failed to spend even a single rupee on them.
