Irrigation projects in North Andhra should be taken up by obtaining funds under the special development package promised in the A.P. Reorganisation Act, Forum for Development of North Andhra has urged the Chief Minister.
In a letter, forum general secretary A. Aja Sarma said completion of Neradi project costing would required ₹1000 crore following the recent judgment of the tribunal, Jhanjhavati project (₹ 500 crore) and Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanti (₹16,500 crore). The Neradi barrage was proposed in 1978 and could store 19.05 TMC of water. Completion of Jhanjhavati project could make available 20 TMC of water and would also facilitate linking of Champavati, Suvaramukhi and Gosthani rivers.
Similarly, Sujala Sravanti, for the first phase of which the Chief Minister laid foundation, should be taken up with the aim of completing the project by 2019 so that eight lakh acres in North Andhra would be irrigated and 1200 villages would get drinking water, Mr. Sarma said in the letter.