CM Babu lays foundation for Veligonda feeder canal works

Chief Minister N Chandrababu said that the Veligonda Project will be completed by July this year and irrigation water will be provided to  Markapuram district.The Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for  Veligonda Project feeder canal lining works worth Rs 456 crore at Ghantavanipalle in Dornala mandal of Markapuram district today.

Later, addressing a public meeting the Chief Minister said that  he had kept his promise to create Markapuram district. By making Markapuram a district, people no longer need to travel 150 km to Ongole for administrative work, he said, adding that justice had been done to the long-neglected backward region.

He said the Veligonda project aims to provide irrigation to 4.35 lakh acres  benefiting constituencies including Giddalur, Markapuram, Yerragondapalem, and Kanigiri, as well as Udayagiri and Badvel in Kadapa district.He explained that the Veligonda Project requires Rs 9,081 crore in total. So far, Rs 5,451 crore has been spent on construction. Another Rs 2,540 crore is needed to complete the works. 

The feeder canal lining works worth Rs 456 crore have now been initiated, he added. He also said the Polavaram project would be completed and dedicated to the nation before the 2027 Pushkarams. Godavari water will be supplied to Nallamala Sagar and before that, Nallamala Sagar and the Veligonda project will be completed and dedicated by July this year.

The Chief Minister said the government is promoting horticulture and aims to transform Rayalaseema into a horticulture hub along with developing Markapuram and Prakasam districts through horticulture crops. He also promised safe drinking water to every household from Nallamala Sagar at a cost of Rs1,300 crore.He announced Rs 50 crore for constructing a new District Collectorate building in Markapuram. After the foundation ceremony, the Chief Minister interacted with local farmers and inspected the feeder canal works. CM viewed the Nallamala Sagar feeder canal through an aerial survey and held video conferences with officials at  project sites.