Foundation Laid For Jawahar Lift Irrigation Project

Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka today laid the foundation stone for the Jawahar Lift Irrigation project, estimated to cost Rs 630.30 crore, at Vangaveedu village in the Madhira Assembly constituency of Khammam district.

Ministers Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Uttam Kumar Reddy, Vakiti Srihari and Ponguleti Srinivas Rao, along with MLAs, MLCs and several other leaders, were present on the occasion.

Speaking at the event, Komatireddy said that the project aimed to supply irrigation water to about 60,000 acres of land in the near future.

He also said that Vikramarka had been elected as the Madhira MLA for four consecutive terms since 2009 and had served as Leader of Opposition during the previous BRS government. Despite the defection of many Congress MLAs at the time, Vikramarka, along with five others, stood firm against the KCR administration and played a key role in bringing the party back to power. That same loyalty would ensure great development for Madhira, too, Komatireddy said.

Komatireddy also said that the SLBC tunnel had fallen into disrepair due to the negligence of the previous KCR government, but the current administration was committed to its restoration. "We will accomplish this soon," he said.

He added that, with the support of Uttam Kumar Reddy, the government was working to finalise all pending irrigation projects, including Brahmana Vellamla, Dindi, Palamuru Lift Irrigation and Devadula.

Vikramarka said that the previous BRS government had neglected water projects for 10 years. He also said that despite raising the Jawahar project issue repeatedly in the Assembly, the earlier government had ignored it. After the Congress came to power, however, Uttam Kumar Reddy granted all the necessary approvals for the project's completion, he said.