Naidu Vows to Make Andhra Pradesh Drought-Proof with Advanced Water Management

Rapid Summary:

• Chief Minister’s Goal: N. Chandrababu Naidu aims to make Andhra Pradesh a drought-proof state using technology-driven, data-backed water management systems.
• Proposed Policies: Advocates for a ‘One State-one Water’ policy and intra-river linking efforts to optimize surplus floodwaters from the Godavari and Krishna rivers.
• Key Projects Timelines:

– Polavaram Project completion targeted by December 2027.
– Veligonda Project completion expected by July 2026.
– Pending irrigation projects across Rayalaseema and North Andhra set to finish within two years.

• Achievements in Irrigation and Water Management:

– groundwater levels improved despite a 2.1% deficit rainfall this year; reservoirs are filled at 94%, amounting to a total of 1,040 TMC of water storage capacity.
– Soil moisture holding capacity rose to an remarkable level of 84%.

• Funding Commitments: The NDA government allocated ₹12,000 crore on irrigation this year, with plans for ₹60,000 crore over five years.
• State Leadership in Innovation: Andhra Pradesh is leading in intra-river linking and drip irrigation practices.
• Polavaram setbacks Addressed: Past negligence reportedly led to the diaphragm wall’s collapse; rebuilding efforts costing ₹1,000 crore are underway with the wall projected for completion by December 2025.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s ambitious water management framework highlights confidence in leveraging technological solutions to transform Andhra Pradesh into a drought-resilient state.His emphasis on interlinking major rivers holds potential benefits for equitable allocation of water resources across various regions. With key irrigation projects like Polavaram approaching meaningful milestones after addressing prior issues under previous administrations, the timelines set forth could considerably bolster regional agricultural productivity while ensuring sustained groundwater recovery.

The state’s leadership in innovative practices such as drip irrigation sets benchmarks in resource efficiency.However,meeting these ambitious targets demands close monitoring of execution timelines alongside robust stakeholder collaboration. The ₹60,000 crore funding commitment from the NDA government demonstrates long-term intent but will require proactive coordination between policymakers and administrative frameworks.

Read more at The Hindu.