The Hindu Business Line : We will find the money for irrigation projects : AP CM

"THERE will be no dearth of funds for the pending irrigation projects in the State and we will strive to complete them during the present term of my Government," the Chief Minister, Dr Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, asserted at a press meet in Rajahmundry on Monday, in response to persistent questions from reporters on the funding pattern for the projects estimated to cost Rs 46,000 crore.

Dr Reddy toured the two Godavari projects on Sunday and Monday as part of the `Rajiv Palle Bata' programme and laid the foundation stone for the mega Polavaram right canal project in the West Godavari district.

"Where there is a political will, there is always a way. The previous Government did not care for the irrigation projects. Our priorities are different. We will float global tenders and award the projects on the annuity basis," he said.

Elaborating on the subject, he said 26 irrigation projects in the State would require Rs 20,000 crore and three major projects, including Polavaram, Rs 26,000 crore. "We want to award the projects to the right bidders on the annuity basis, covering at least Rs 15,000-20,000 crore. We will increase the budgetary allocations to cover the rest," he said.

He said that for eight months, his Government had allocated Rs 3,900 crore for irrigation against Rs 1,300 crore allocated by the TDP Government last year. "Besides, we want to spend Rs 500 crore more on irrigation. So every year, the budgetary allocation for irrigation will not be less than Rs 4,000 crore and we will search for alternative means of resource mobilisation," he said.

The Chief Minister said that for the works awarded on the annuity basis, the repayment would start from the sixth year onwards. In a lighter vein, he said, "It is like buying a car on instalment basis. We will get the project executed first and pay later in instalments."

Riparian rights: The Chief Minister said the riparian rights of the Godavari delta would not be affected in any way after the execution of the Polavaram project. "The Godavari delta will not be adversely affected in any way. The 10.8 lakh acres in the delta will be given water," he assured the farmers. He condemned "the mischievous campaign by the vested interests on the score."

He said that during the current rabi season too, the entire delta would be given water. "If necessary, we will regulate or even stop power generation at Sileru and provide water to the entire delta," he said.

Cheap power for industries: Dr Reddy said that his Government was also taking care of industries. "We are negotiating with Reliance for supply of power to industries at a rate of Rs 2 per unit. It should be possible, making use of the huge reserves of natural gas in the Krishna-Godavari basin being commercially exploited by that company. Nothing concrete has emerged yet. But we are making sincere efforts," he said.

Ship-breaking project: Answering a query on the proposed ship-breaking units on the Kakinada coast, he said an expert committee had been appointed to study the issue and a decision would be taken on the basis of the report.

Later, the Chief Minister also inaugurated the Rs 76-crore Bhupatipalem reservoir at Rampachodavaram across Setapalli rivulet in East Godavari for irrigating 23,000 acres in the agency areas of the district.

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