Polavaram, Sujala Sravanthi top govt agenda, says Nimmala Ramanaidu

Vijayawada: Water resources minister Nimmala Ramanaidu told the legislative assembly that completion of the Polavaram Project and the Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi Project has been placed at the top of the govt's priorities. Responding during Question Hour on Friday, he said the coalition govt is committed to fast-tracking both projects to transform north coastal Andhra into a fertile, water-secure region. He recalled that Sujala Sravanthi was originally launched between 2014–19 under chief minister Chandrababu Naidu to provide irrigation and drinking water facilities to the districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, and Visakhapatnam.The project is designed to utilise 63.20 tmc of water to irrigate 8 lakh acres, supply drinking water to 30 lakh people, and meet industrial needs in Visakhapatnam. Recognising its strategic importance, the coalition govt decided to execute the scheme in two phases—Phase I with an outlay of ₹2,022 crore and Phase II with ₹4,210 crore.In the current budget, ₹500 crore was allocated for Sujala Sravanthi works and ₹100 crore for land acquisition, taking the total to ₹600 crore. Eleven priority projects in Uttarandhra were also identified with ₹460 crore earmarked to accelerate regional irrigation development.Ramanaidu stressed that completion of Polavaram, particularly the Left Main Canal, is crucial for making Uttarandhra green and prosperous. He alleged that, apart from works executed between 2014–19, no meaningful progress was made during the previous regime. "Not a rupee of significant expenditure, not even earthwork or cement work, was taken up in the last five years. Only ₹63 crore was provided in the form of vote-on-account," he said.The coalition govt has since sanctioned ₹1,209 crore and expedited pending works. Left Main Canal construction is being executed on a war footing to carry water up to Anakapalli by June 2026, to be formally dedicated by the Chief Minister. Ramanaidu said timely completion of Polavaram and Sujala Sravanthi would permanently address irrigation and drinking water needs, boost agriculture, support industries, and uplift the socio-economic profile of north coastal Andhra.