YS Jagan accuses Chandrababu Naidu of ignoring Palnadu, lays foundation for Varikapudisela Lift Irrigation Scheme

MACHERLA: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has accused TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu of ignoring the drinking and irrigation needs of the people in Palnadu region during his regime.

YS Jagan laid the foundation stone for Rs 340.26-crore Varikapudisela Lift Irrigation Scheme (LIS) at Macherla in Palnadu district on Wednesday, that would make Palnadu area verdant. Addressing a public meeting after unveiling the plaque here, the Chief Minister said that Naidu deceived the people of the region and laid the foundation for the same project in February 2019 for political gains without obtaining clearances and acquiring land.

“The first phase of the scheme will provide drinking water to 20,000 people and irrigate 24, 900 acres in upland areas of Veldurthi, Uppalapadu, Gottipalla, Sirigiripadu, Bodilaveedu, Gangalakunta and Kandlakunta villages. When the second phase is completed, the project would provide drinking water to more than 1 lakh people and irrigate more than 1.25 lakh acres”, YS Jagan said.

The Chief Minister said that though the Nagarjuna Sagar project is nearby, the Macherla area was neglected for decades. “In the last four years, we acquired land for the project and obtained clearances from the National Board of Wildlife on May 19, 2023 and from the Union Forest and Environment Ministry on Nov 6, 2023,” he said and added that the project would change for façade of Macherla area in the days to come.

YS Jagan said that around 1.57 TMC of water would be pumped for irrigation and drinking purposes from the project at the rate of 281 cusecs of water daily. He reiterated his commitment to the development of the Palnadu area in all respects and said that the Palnadu district was carved out aiming at decentralized development. “The YSRCP Government has spent Rs 8,812.48 crore and Rs. 3,087 crore through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) and non-DBT schemes in Palnadu district and the area is witnessing rapid progress with several works in the Education and Medical and Health Department being expedited under Nadu-Nedu,” he said.

Lashing out at Naidu and his ‘foster son’ Pawan Kalyan for misleading the people of Andhra Pradesh with false assurances, YS Jagan said that with just few months left for the Assembly elections in the State, Naidu was forming an unholy alliance with Pawan Kalyan, and making false promises through a deceptive manifesto. “The duo lack shame and it is evident as they manipulate the people. Their political agenda is centered on exploiting the public, robbing the citizens of Andhra Pradesh rather than serving them,” the Chief Minister said.

In response to the appeals made by local MLA P Ramakrishna Reddy, the Chief Minister agreed to upgrade the present 50-bed hospital here to 100-bed hospital and sanction funds for several development works. Ministers Vidadala Rajani, Ambati Rambabu and Karumuri Venkata Nageswara Rao, several people’s representatives and senior officials were also present.