Polavaram will be completed before Godavari Pushkaram: CM Naidu

Markapuram: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister on Wednesday inspected the Veligonda project site, laid foundation stone for a feeder canal and later said the Polavaram project will be completed before the Godavari Pushkaram slated for June and July in 2027.

Addressing a well-attended public meeting here, he said the project work had derailed during the erstwhile YSRCP regime but the coalition after assuming power in June, 2024 after securing a landslide win in the general elections, had expedited the work on Polavaram project, the lifeline for Andhra Pradesh, on a war-footing.

Amid thunderous applause, he staked claim for carving out Markapuram district as part of administrative reorganisation and making Madanapalle the headquarters of the Annamayya district. He said the focus of the coalition was on decentralisation and ensuring better delivery mechanisms.

He announced construction of a new building for Markapuram Collectorate by sanctioning Rs50 crore.

On the election promises, he said the Super Six Guarantees have been fulfilled. "We are providing Rs34,000 crore through NTR Bharosa pensions.

We are supporting the farmers with Annadata Sukhibhava and giving free cylinders to women under Deepam 2.0. We are providing financial support to the students irrespective of the number of children and spending equally on welfare as well as development."

Plans are being made to bring water from Godavari through the Nallamala Sagar connection.

"By July this year, we will complete the Nallamala Sagar and complete the Veligonda project and dedicate it to the nation," he declared.

Naidu said farmers' income should be increased. "For this, we are taking steps to fill your lives with plenty of water. Along with Rayalaseema, Prakasam and Markapuram districts are being developed with horticultural crops.

We will make Markapuram district a hub for horticulture crops. People should help me with this."

The Chief Minister said they will take the responsibility of providing drinking water to every house through Nallamala Sagar by spending Rs1,300 crore. "We have given a new district, we will complete the Veligonda project, we are making it a horticultural hub.

There is also the problem of land records in Markapuram district. The previous government had grabbed the land through dubious means.

Now we are clearing the land records to set everything right. Now we are issuing pass books and records with a royal stamp after the survey."

He declared that they are making land records in the most secure way with QR code and taken steps to remove photos put on survey stones.