Andhra Pradesh - Tirupati   

YSR lays stone for Handri-Neeva phase II

Special Correspondent

Government keen on irrigation projects, says Chief Minister

MUCH-HYPED PROJECT: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy looking at the alignment plan of Handri-Neeva irrigation project second phase near Madanapalle in Chittoor district on Tuesday.

TIRUPATI: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who is on a whirl-wind tour of all districts ahead of the panchayat elections, visited Basinikonda near Madanapalle on Tuesday to lay the foundation stone for the Handri-Neeva phase-II work. It is being taken up with a massive plan outlay of Rs. 7,300 crores with a target to irrigate 6.2 lakh acres in the rain-shadow Rayalaseema districts. It is likely to be completed in the next three to four years.

Dr. Reddy, who is likely to keep away from the campaign for the elections, ostensibly used the occasion to strike a chord with voters by listing the poll promises he had kept such as free power, waiver of power bill arrears and the Jalayagnam programme.

Dig at Naidu

Dr. Reddy also used the occasion to take a dig at Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu accusing him of ruining the lives of farmers. He alleged that Mr. Naidu had put the project in the backburner after using it as a bait to lure voters.

Beneficial to ryots

The Chief Minister said that though Handri-Neeva, like many projects in Telengana depends on lift- irrigation which meant enormous expenditure, he did not mind it because the Government firmly believed that only irrigation projects would improve the fate of the two backward regions.

He was keen on using Krishna and Godavari to benefit the entire farming community in the State, Dr. Reddy said.

Among others who spoke at the programme included Chief Whip N. Kirankumar Reddy, Rajampet Member of Parliament Saipratap and district MLAs -- P. Ramachandra Reddy, Prabhakar Reddy and Kuthuhalamma.

All the speakers at the stone-laying programme lashed out at the former Chief Minister stating that he had no moral right to seek votes in the district.

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