Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said tenders for the Rs. 1,300-crore Pattiseema lift irrigation project had been finalised in a transparent manner and asserted that the government would not “convert Jalayagnam into Dhanyagnam”.
Intervening during a discussion on ‘River linkage in the State’ in the Assembly after YSRC member Vishweshwar Reddy alleged that the bid was given in excess of 22 per cent of the project cost after just two firms participated in the bidding, Mr. Naidu hit back, saying: “Corruption is your track record. Providing clean administration is my track record.”
The Chief Minister said that anybody who was capable of completing the project would be awarded the contract and added that the scheme would have a multiplier effect, and farmers would benefit hugely.
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Declaring that the government was determined to provide water to Rayalaseema and other drought-hit areas, he asked YSRC members if they wanted water to be provided to Anantapur.
He reiterated that injustice would not be done to East and West Godavari districts. Only after meeting the irrigation and drinking water needs of Krishna delta, water will be diverted to Rayalaseema, Mr. Naidu said.
He asserted that the State would be made drought-free in five years, and that Polavaram would be completed, and that there would be no compromise on that.
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Earlier, Mr. Vishweshwar Reddy asked as to how many parties or farmers wings supported the Pattiseema project except the TDP.
Quoting experts, he said the project cost was in excess of 22 per cent.
Replying to the charge, Major Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheshwara Rao said the whole process was done transparently through open tenders, and anybody could have participated. The government also set a pre-condition that there would not be any mobilisation advance, he added.
TDP member D. Narendra Kumar said since 3,000 tmcft of Godavari was flowing as waste into the sea, the government wanted to divert a little quantity to Krishna and provide the surplus water from Srisailam to the drought-prone Rayalaseema.
He appealed to the Opposition to keep aside politics and not to act in a manner that affected the State’s interests.
Earlier, Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao adjourned the House for nearly an hour after YSRC members stalled the proceedings insisting that the Opposition be allotted at least two-and-a-half hours to speak on the issue.
Govt. determined to provide water to Rayalaseema and other drought-hit areas, says CM