Rayalaseema Saguneeti Sadhana Samithi president Bojja Dasaratharami Reddy wrote a letter to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on June 29 (Thursday), appealing to the latter for a review of the ground reality of the irrigation system in Rayalaseema region by an expert independent organisation on a priority basis.
Demanding the release of a White Paper on the status of the irrigation facilities available in the region, Mr. Dasatharami Reddy reminded Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy that when he came to power with the promise of comprehensive development of Andhra Pradesh, along with improving the living standards of people of Rayalaseema through the development of irrigation facilities.
Releasing the letter before the media in Nandyal, he said: “You (Chief Minister) held discussions with the irrigation authorities on many occasions as it was crucial for the development of the backward region and announced that priorities would be given to the development of irrigation sector.”
The irrigation system in Rayalaseema should be brought back in the groove by collecting comprehensive information on the prevailing conditions, he said.
“The State received the highest amount of water in the 2022-23 Water Year through the Tungabhadra and the Krishna, but it was unable to tap even half of its allocated water,” he said.
Mr. Dasaratharami Reddy appealed to the Chief Minister to ensure that a report was prepared on the basic irrigation projects in Rayalaseema, the year in which their construction began, completed, water allocation, prescribed ayacut, development of ayacut, and current number of acres cultivated.
He also said that a White Paper should be released on the basic irrigation facilities available in the Rayalaseema region, the situation at the time of the formation of the undivided Andhra Pradesh in 1953, the situation of the formation of Visalandhra (1956), at the time of separation of Telangana State (2014) and the current situation (2023).
Mr. Dasaratharami Reddy expressed hope that ‘unbiased information’ on the irrigation system in the region would be available to the Chief Minister so that he could take the appropriate decisions.
