Andhra Pradesh to become drought-proof with best water management, says CM Naidu

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], September 20 (ANI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu promised to make Andhra Pradesh a drought-proof state with the best water management system, stressing the need for intra-linking of rivers to ensure water supply to all regions. CM Naidu stated while addressing the assembly on the irrigation system.
According to an official statement, mapping of water reserves will be taken up through arranging sensors at water projects to gauge both groundwater level and rainwater.
CM Naidu also assured perfect water management through data-driven decisions, stating that development will be possible only with the availability of water, and one should adopt a state-one water policy and extend cooperation for intra-river linking.
The Andhra CM also stated that thousands of TMCs of water from both the Godavari and the Krishna rivers are flowing waste into the sea, the interlinking of rivers will help in a big way to ensure water supply to all the regions with the utilisation of surplus flood waters.
During his assembly session, the CM committed that he will be completing the Polavaram project by December 2027, the Veligonda project by July 2026 and all other irrigation projects in the state, including in Rayalaseema and North Andhra, will be completed in two years to provide water security to all regions.
CM Naidu also said that he felt happy when he was successful in taking Krishna water to Kuppam through the Handri-Neeva project by completing canal works at a stretch of 738 km.
According to the statement, CM mentioned that though there was a 2.1 per cent deficit rainfall in the state this year, the groundwater levels increased, and 94 per cent of all major and minor reservoirs and tanks are brimming to capacity, where the groundwater reserves stand at 697 tmc.
He also advised all the MLAs to initiate measures to increase groundwater levels in their respective constituencies.
CM Naidu also highlighted that the NDA government spent Rs 12000 crore on irrigation sector in one year and assured to spend Rs 60,000 crore in five years, as stated in the release. (ANI)