Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday held a review meeting on the Irrigation projects and directed the officials to expedite works and told them to put in efforts to get pending funds from the Centre to Polavaram project.

During the review meeting, officials informed that the Centre has to reimburse over Rs 2,033 crore for the Polavaram project and stated that Gap3 concrete dam has been completed, where water can be drawn to canals by next kharif. In regard to these, the Chief Minister instructed the authorities to talk to the centre and take appropriate steps to ensure that the expenditure incurred by the state government on the Polavaram project is reimbursed from time to time. The officials assured to complete lower cofferdam works by November and begin work on the Earth Come Rockfill Dam (ECRF).

Later, the Chief Minister directed the authorities to take immediate action to repair irrigation canals damaged due to Gulab Cyclone and complete the works with priority. Reviewing other irrigation projects, the Chief Minister directed the officials to speed up the construction of a second tunnel of the Veligonda. Further, he instructed the officers to take appropriate steps for the construction of the Neredi barrage, by having talks with the Odisha state.

The officials said that all the phase-2 works of Vamsadhara are expected to be completed by May 2022, where the Chief Minister asked them to make it operational within the stipulated time. The authorities informed that steps are being taken to provide water under the Thotapalli barrage by the end of the coming kharif.

Further, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy told to expedite the construction of regulator in Godavari and Krishna deltas at Kolleru on priority and also focus on the expansion of Tandava project and other barrages on Krishna river. Officials stated that tenders have been called for the construction of the Tandava project and had gone for reverse tendering. Besides these, they informed that Nellore barrage works were completed and is ready for inauguration in November and also made significant progress in the construction of the Owk Tunnel and said it will be completed by next August.
The review meeting was attended by Minister for Water Resources P Anil Kumar, Chief Secretary Dr. Sameer Sharma, Water Resources Secretary J Shyamala Rao, Finance Chief Secretary SS Rawat, Water Resources ENC Narayanareddy, chief engineers of various irrigation projects, representatives of construction companies, and other senior officials.