The State government’s decision to construct a lift scheme linking the Galeru Nagari Sujala Sravanthi (GNSS) and Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) projects has come as a much-awaited boon for the Rayalaseema region, especially the tail-end Rayachoti region in Kadapa district that stands synonymous to perennial drought.

With the State government releasing G.O.R.T.No.444 on Wednesday extending administrative sanction of ₹5,036 crore for the mega project, delight was palpable across the constituency represented by Chief Whip Gadikota Srikanth Reddy.

The project envisages lifting of 2,000 cusecs of water from Gandikota to Kaletivagu and Veligallu. “This is the largest-ever allocation made for a water project in this region to address drought. With this, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will have a permanent place in the hearts of the farmers,” Mr. Srikanth Reddy told The Hindu. It was only last month that tender works worth ₹3,300 crore for the Rayalaseema lift irrigation project were completed, he recalled.

When the scheme becomes a reality, irrigation water will be lifted from Kaletivagu to the tanks in Chakrayapet, Ramapuram, Lakkireddypalle and Veeraballe mandals. Similarly, the Veligallu project can be filled with the Krishna water at the rate of 1,650 cusecs. After Veligallu gets 2 TMC water from the HNSS canal can be diverted to Srinivasapuram reservoir and all the tanks in Chinnamandem. “By linking the canal to Jharikona, we can extend water to Sambepalle and further to the north-western areas of Chittoor district such as Thamballapalle, Madanapalle, Piler and Vayalpadu,” Mr. Srikanth Reddy said, while thanking the Member of Parliament (Rajampet) P.V. Midhun Reddy for playing a key role.