Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday affirmed that his vision is to interlink rivers across Andhra Pradesh from Vamsadhara to Penna. He said that just as the Golden Quadrilateral transformed India's road network, a nationwide river-linking programme can transform the country's future.
He reiterated that the state government will complete 36 priority irrigation projects over the next three years with an investment of Rs 35,000 crore. “If water flowing into the sea is effectively utilised for irrigation, drinking water and industrial needs, it will generate enormous wealth,” he said while addressing a public meeting after offering Jala Harathi to the Godavari waters at the sacred confluence of the Krishna and Godavari rivers near Ibrahimpatnam in NTR district.
He claimed that the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Project has transformed the fortunes of farmers in the Krishna Delta by ensuring timely irrigation facilities. He revealed that 450 TMC of Godavari floodwaters have been diverted to the Krishna River through Pattiseema since 2015.
Constructed at a cost of Rs 1,300 crore, the project has not only stabilised the Krishna Delta but has also contributed significantly to wealth creation across the state, he said. The Chief Minister said Pattiseema has enabled Godavari waters to reach the Krishna River, making the Krishna Delta green and prosperous.
The Telugu Desam Party government completed the project within a year and safeguarded the Krishna Delta. “With 80 TMC of water, we stabilised irrigation for 13 lakh acres in the delta despite criticism from some people,” he said. “Today, farmers in the Krishna Delta are reaping rich harvests because of Pattiseema.
By diverting Godavari water through the Polavaram Right Main Canal, we are conserving Krishna waters in the Srisailam reservoir and supplying them to Rayalaseema. The coalition government's goal is to provide irrigation to every cultivable acre in the state,” the Chief Minister said.
The Chief Minister said the government spent Rs 68,000 crore on the irrigation sector between 2014 and 2019, and another Rs 24,000 crore in the last two years since 2024. On the occasion of the 124th birth anniversary of eminent engineer Dr K.L. Rao, the Chief Minister paid floral tributes to his portrait.
The Chief Minister said the government is organising statewide programmes to inspire future generations of engineers with the legacy of K.L. Rao. Highlighting the legacy of K.L. Rao, the Chief Minister said the legendary engineer played a pivotal role in the construction of major irrigation projects such as the Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar, Hirakud and Kosi dams. He also served as an international water expert for the United Nations in countries such as Egypt and Sudan.