Naidu lays foundation for Purushothapatnam project

Andhra Pradesh has taken a major step to secure supply of drinking water to its people and strengthen the irrigation system in the state. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandra Babu Naidu on Thursday laid foundation for the Purushothapatnam Lift Irrigation Project on the left canal at Pithapuram. The two-phase project is estimated to cost Rs 1,638 crore. Naidu said that the project is expected to be completed within targeted nine months.

On its completion, the project aims at providing drinking water to the people of Visakhapatnam, East Godavari and North Andhra districts besides increasing the irrigation potential and industrialisation. The Pattiseema irrigation project constructed on the right canal, by diverting 80 TMC of Godavari water to Krishna river basin for growing crops, was completed within a record one year time.

Calling that his cabinet, in its first meeting, had taken a decision on the areas which are frequently flood-prone, Naidu said, “The construction of Polavaram Multi-Purpose National Dam Project is a golden opportunity to the state. The Polavaram would have been a dream forever if the state had clashed with the central government.”

Naidu had laid foundation stone for the launch of concrete works of the Polavaram  project at Polavaram on December 30, 2016. The Centre, through NABARD, released Rs 1,981 crore as the first installment for the project.