The multi-crore Veligonda project, the lifeline of drought-prone Prakasam district, would be completed at any cost by December 2018, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said on Tuesday.
Despite the government’s commitment to fast-track the project, it got delayed for various reasons, he said, kick-starting the nine-day Janmabhoomi Maa Vooru programme at Darsi in the district.
“The agreement with the present contractor has been terminated. A fresh agreement will be reached with a new contractor in a couple of days,” he said, adding, “I laid the foundation stone for the project and I will ensure its completion as per schedule to drought-proof the district.”
The project envisaged bringing 53 tmcft of Krishna water from the foreshore of the Srisailam project for 45 days per annum to ensure irrigation to 4.5 lakh acres of land and drinking water to 15 lakh people in the fluoride-affected district.
He promised to bring big corporates to start their units in the Donakonda Industrial Park.
Stating that 10,000 acres of land had been identified in and around Donakonda, the Chief Minister said people should come forward voluntarily to part with their land as and when needed.
He said the Nagarjunasagar Right Bank canal system would be modernised at a cost of ₹150 crore.
Shifting of IIIT
The IIIT, which was functioning at Nuzivid, would be shifted to Ongole and classes would commence from the next academic year, he said, adding that the much-expected University of Mines and Minerals would materialise soon.