The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Telugu Ganga completion in two years, says YSR

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 18, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Telugu Ganga completion in two years, says YSR

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI, AUG. 17. The much-awaited Telugu Ganga project, designed to supply water to Chennai metropolis and meet the irrigational needs of Rayalaseema, will go on steam in two years if one is to go by the firm commitment given by the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, at a press conference today.

Talking to mediapersons in the Sathyavedu constituency on the Tamil Nadu border, 65 km from here, Dr. Reddy said that out of the entire project cost of Rs.3100 crores, as much as Rs.1626 crores had already been spent.

The balance of Rs.1473 crores would be utilised in the next two years to complete it without any further delay.

He said that in the Srikalahasti division of the project alone, Rs.329 crores would be spent this year, including Rs.190 crores for which tenders were finalised. Claiming that in sharp contrast to the TDP rule which, he alleged, had lacked the sense of `fiscal discipline', the Congress Government which he was heading was fully conscious of the factor.

In order to reinforce his claim he said the budget presented for the current fiscal by his Government was pegged at the same Rs.51,000-crore mark as did the previous TDP regime.

Project to be completed

Citing the Galeru-Nagari project as another example, Dr. Reddy said that the Rs. 450-crore project, whose fate had hung in the balance for the last 15 years, would be completed by his Government in the next two years.

Slights Janmabhoomi

Asked to differentiate his `Pallebata' with Chandrababu Naidu's Janmabhoomi, he said that there was no comparison between the two as they widely differed conceptually.

He said while Mr. Naidu used his programme to `subvert' the Panchayat Raj system and sideline the elected representatives, he was using his "Palle Bata" to take the Government to the doorstep of the people with himself trying to get a feel of their problems and their pulse.

Credibility

He said he could notice a perceptible increase in the credibility of his Government in the eyes of the public, and claimed that people were `brimming' with a new hope.

Among those present with him were the Government Chief Whip, N. Kirankumar Reddy, and the party MLAs — Narayanaswamy, S.C.V. Naidu, G. Muddukrishnama Naidu, Chenga Reddy, P.Ramachandra Reddy, C. Prabhakar Reddy, M.Venkatramana and Kuthuhalamma — and the Tirupati MP, Chintha Mohan.

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