A.P. Irrigation officials set a record by releasing 40 tmcft water to Rayalaseema through Handri-Neeva

The Andhra Pradesh Irrigation department has set a record by transferring water to Rayalaseema region through Handri–Neeva project. For the first time in history, irrigation officials have drawn 40.109 TMCft of water from the Handri–Neeva project beyond the project’s designed capacity, according to an official statement.

The statement said not only was water transferred at a record level, but this was achieved within just 190 days. Since the completion of the project, this is the first time such a large quantity of water has been conveyed, bringing immense joy to farmers across the Rayalaseema districts.

Minister from the Rayalaseema region Payyavula Keshav and BC Janardhan Reddy, along with Rayadurg MLA Kalva Srinivasulu met Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and expressed their gratitude. Minister Payyavula Keshav recalled that between 2014 and 2019, water could be drawn using only one pump, but during that period, works were undertaken to enhance the capacity to operate six pumps.

Mr. Janardhan Reddy said widening of the Handri–Neeva canals was completed within 100 days, which itself was a record. Irrigation Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu said that the Muchumarri project, which was part of the Handri–Neeva scheme, had been a major turning point and its construction has enabled successful water supply to Rayalaseema.

Rayadurg MLA K. Srinivasulu said the decision taken earlier to construct the Muchumarri project is the key reason why water is being supplied to Rayalaseema at this scale today.

The Chief Minister has asked officials to create yet another record by transferring up to 50 TMCft of water to the Rayalaseema districts through the Handri–Neeva project and said that the reservoirs and tanks across the Rayalaseema region should be filled with water.

The Irrigation Minister assured the Chief Minister that steps would be taken to transfer an additional 10 TMCft of water by the end of February or the first week of March, thereby achieving a total transfer of 50 TMCft of water.