
Drop Polavaram-Banakacharla river linkage project, says former NDMA vice chief
Reddy said he had written to chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on August 6 to drop the proposal for the Polavaram-Banakacharla project that seeks to divert Godavari waters to the Krishna River and then to the Pennar basin and instead follow the 'four-water concept' adopted by the Rajasthan government.
Reddy, son of former chief minister Dr Marri Channa Reddy, recalled that during his earlier stint as the chief minister of combined Andhra Pradesh in 2000, Naidu had launched the 'Neeru-Meeru' programme by constituting a Water Conservation Mission (WCM) with many eminent experts, including late T Hanumantha Rao.
The expert committee recommended implementation of the Watershed Development projects based on Four Waters Concept (FWC), which is effective utilisation of rainwater, soil moisture up to water table level, ground water and surface water. This technology stresses on water spreading techniques to facilitate recharge to ground water, in the upper areas of the watershed, through mini percolation tanks, he said.
Reddy said the scheme launched in October 2001 covered nearly 84 villages in Telangana and about 120 villages in Rayalaseema and it had yielded excellent results. 'For instance, at Gottigaripalli village of Kohir block in Sangareddy district the scheme, implemented at a cost of about ₹5,000 per acre, consistently provided water for three crops in a year,' he said.
He said subsequently, the FWC was completely ignored in the Telugu states, it was successfully implemented in Rajasthan by former chief minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia under the 'Mukhyamantri Jal Swavalamban Abhiyan' (MJSA) between 2014 and 2018.
Ironically, a Telangana government engineer Md Afsar went on deputation to implement the programme in Rajasthan, he said.
Reddy appealed to Naidu, who had sowed the seed for FWC during the tenure of combined Andhra Pradesh in 2001, to seriously consider it as a viable, low-cost alternative to the Polavaram--Banakacherla Project.
This can be implemented in about two years, capable of providing water for three crops annually to cater to 30 lakh acres for a total cost of just ₹4,500 crore at the rate of ₹15,000 per acre at today's rates. This will be a fraction of even the minimum basic estimated cost of ₹81,900 crore for the Polavaram-Banakacharla project, he said.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Never stop learning, chief minister Chandrababu Naidu tells constituency coordinators
Vijayawada: Staying hungry to learn new things will make success follow your path, chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu said while giving a pep talk to young professionals who were appointed as coordinators for the constituency vision plan and P4 on Tuesday. Giving the example of his own life, Naidu explained the importance of being a constant learner. "I come from a village without electricity, and I brought reforms in electricity in united Andhra Pradesh, which changed the face of the state. Development is possible only when we constantly think of finding new ways to bring change," he said. The state govt has appointed 175 young professionals, one in each of the 175 constituencies, for effective implementation of constituency development plans. These professionals will work in line with the constituency-wise vision documents prepared as part of Swarna Andhra Vision 2047. The planning dept gave a week-long training to the young professionals on their roles and responsibilities. The CM met them after they completed training on Tuesday. Noting that appointing a young professional for each constituency is a new approach, he asked them to identify the strengths of each constituency depending on the resources available and to identify the priorities. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Use an AI Writing Tool That Actually Understands Your Voice Grammarly Install Now Undo He asked them to coordinate with local public representatives and a team of nine members from various govt depts to prepare plans of action for constituency development. Naidu cautioned them that there will be struggles in the beginning, and they should overcome them with better coordination. "Stay focused on your goals. Everyone should be a lifelong learner and think innovatively. Do not perform duties as just a job," he said, explaining how he worked when he became chief minister for the first time in 1995. "Everyone should say that the chief minister has sent good people to their constituency. Earn a good name for yourself and bring a good name to me." The planning dept handed over appointment letters to the 175 young professionals who completed their training. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.


Economic Times
7 hours ago
- Economic Times
Jagan Mohan Reddy presided over meetings leading to liquor scam decisions, alleges AP Police
Synopsis Andhra Pradesh Police have implicated former CM Jagan Mohan Reddy in a ₹3,500 crore liquor scam through a supplementary charge sheet, alleging his involvement in key policy decisions and APSBCL appointments. While not naming him as an accused, the SIT detailed meetings chaired by Reddy that facilitated the alleged irregularities. ANI The Andhra Pradesh Police has alleged in a supplementary charge sheet that former Andhra Pradesh chief minister and YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy was involved in key decisions that led to the ₹3,500 crore liquor scam, but stopped short of naming him as an special investigation team (SIT) of state police alleged in a 124-page supplementary charge sheet that Reddy presided over numerous meetings that finalised appointments to Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation Ltd (APSBCL) and led to policy changes to facilitate the alleged naming Reddy, the charge sheet elaborated on a June 21, 2019, meeting, saying, "The then Hon'ble chief minister had granted his approval for the interim arrangement by extending the licence period of A4 shops and licences granted to hybrid hypermarkets till 30.09.2019 and further directed to make all arrangements for procuring the premises for A4 shops and identifying the personnel for managing the A4 shops as they will be run as Govt. shops from 01.10.2019."The charge sheet also flagged a meeting in July "chaired by" Reddy where a number of shops, hiring of shop premises, shop infrastructure and manpower were discussed. "Accordingly, pursuant to such discussion, draft operational guidelines were also submitted for establishment and running of 35,000 retail outlets by APSBCL for approval of the government," it said. In its 305-page charge sheet filed in July, the SIT had linked Reddy to monthly kickbacks to the tune of ₹50-60 crore per month. So far, Reddy has not been named as an accused. The supplementary charge sheet also alleged that kickbacks were laundered through office boys and other low-profile individuals. The SIT has named former Andhra intelligence chief, IPS officer PSR Anjaneyulu and consulting firm KPMG. Though KPMG officials have not been accused in the case, the supplementary charge sheet alleged that the accounting firm was hired without following due tender process only to give credence to a predetermined action to facilitate the alleged liquor had helped the government in shifting from automated indentation process to supplementary charge sheet said, "Several illegalities have been identified during the course of investigation while modifying the then existing Excise Policy in the year 2019. The hiring of the consultancy firm M/s. KPMG Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd. was intended to lend credibility to a flawed excise policy."


Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Jagan Mohan Reddy presided over meetings leading to liquor scam decisions, alleges AP Police
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Andhra Pradesh Police has alleged in a supplementary charge sheet that former Andhra Pradesh chief minister and YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy was involved in key decisions that led to the ₹3,500 crore liquor scam, but stopped short of naming him as an special investigation team (SIT) of state police alleged in a 124-page supplementary charge sheet that Reddy presided over numerous meetings that finalised appointments to Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation Ltd (APSBCL) and led to policy changes to facilitate the alleged naming Reddy, the charge sheet elaborated on a June 21, 2019, meeting, saying, "The then Hon'ble chief minister had granted his approval for the interim arrangement by extending the licence period of A4 shops and licences granted to hybrid hypermarkets till 30.09.2019 and further directed to make all arrangements for procuring the premises for A4 shops and identifying the personnel for managing the A4 shops as they will be run as Govt. shops from 01.10.2019."The charge sheet also flagged a meeting in July "chaired by" Reddy where a number of shops, hiring of shop premises, shop infrastructure and manpower were discussed. "Accordingly, pursuant to such discussion, draft operational guidelines were also submitted for establishment and running of 35,000 retail outlets by APSBCL for approval of the government," it its 305-page charge sheet filed in July, the SIT had linked Reddy to monthly kickbacks to the tune of ₹50-60 crore per month. So far, Reddy has not been named as an supplementary charge sheet also alleged that kickbacks were laundered through office boys and other low-profile individuals. The SIT has named former Andhra intelligence chief, IPS officer PSR Anjaneyulu and consulting firm KPMG. Though KPMG officials have not been accused in the case, the supplementary charge sheet alleged that the accounting firm was hired without following due tender process only to give credence to a predetermined action to facilitate the alleged liquor had helped the government in shifting from automated indentation process to supplementary charge sheet said, "Several illegalities have been identified during the course of investigation while modifying the then existing Excise Policy in the year 2019. The hiring of the consultancy firm M/s. KPMG Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd. was intended to lend credibility to a flawed excise policy."