Plans are afoot to supply irrigation and drinking water to Rayalaseema through Handri-Neeva project by December 2025, says Water Resources Minister Nimmala Rama Naidu. File.
| Photo Credit: G.N. Rao

Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Minister Nimmala Rama Naidu has said that the victory of the candidates supported by the ruling coalition in the elections to Water Users’ Associations (WUA) has indicated that the farming community has no trust in the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).

Alleging that the previous YSRCP government was responsible for the collapse of the irrigation sector, Mr. Rama Naidu told the media on Saturday that the NDA government in the State prioritised the completion of pending irrigation projects to safeguard the farmers’ interest.

The YSRCP government had not undertaken the maintenance works of the irrigation projects and canals. Even desiltation of the canals and greasing the crest gates was not done, he said.  

The NDA government held elections for the WUA to overcome the dire situation and the farmers overwhelmingly supported the coalition candidates. It is evident from this victory that the Jagan Mohan Reddy government’s anti-farmer policies had harmed the agriculture sector. 

Mr. Rama Naidu thanked the farmers who voted for the coalition candidates, saying that nearly one crore farmers participated in the elections. 

He said the government targeted the completion of the Polavaram project by the end of 2027, and tenders worth ₹900 crore were called for the projects that would take the Godavari water to Uttarandhra region through the Polavaram Left Canal by June 2025. 

Plans to supply irrigation and drinking water to the Rayalaseema region through the Handri-Neeva project by December 2025 were being worked out with a budget of ₹2,500 crore, the Minister added.