Jagan demands completion of R&R works for Veligonda project

YSRCP president and former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has demanded that Chandrababu Naidu immediately focus on completing the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) works of the Veligonda project and make immediate payments so that water can be stored this season, meeting the irrigation and drinking water needs.
Taking to the social media platform X, the former Chief Minister wrote that the Veligonda project, which is the lifeline for the drought-stricken Prakasam district, is being neglected by the TDP coalition government under the leadership of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. Despite the critical need to complete this project and provide its benefits to the people, no significant attention has been given by the current administration, he said.
He mentioned that under the governance of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), they successfully completed two tunnels of the project, overcoming several technical challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
He noted that Tunnel-1 was completed and dedicated to the nation in January 2021, followed by the successful completion of Tunnel-2 in January 2024. Jagan emphasized that this achievement realized the vision of the late great leader Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy, who had initiated the construction of the project in 2005.
He pointed out that while the two tunnels were completed, the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) work remains unfinished. He stated that an immediate payment of around Rs 1,200 crores is needed to finalize the R&R process and store water this season. He also mentioned that the previous YSRCP government had already prepared detailed plans for R&R, but after three months in power, Chandrababu Naidu’s administration has shown no visible effort to address the issue.
He stated that Chandrababu has been conveniently inflating civil work estimates and awarding contracts for personal gain while neglecting the rehabilitation of displaced people. He also pointed out similar negligence in the Gandikota project, which delayed water storage. He highlighted that only after the YSRCP government took over, Rs 1,000 crores were paid to displaced families, enabling the storage of 27 TMC of water.
YS Jagan mentioned that his government completed the R&R for the Chitravathi project with Rs 250 crores, enabling the storage of 10 TMC of water.
He also noted that Rs 60 crores were spent to finish the diaphragm wall at Brahmasagar, along with the completion of the Telugu Ganga Canal lining, which allowed for the transport of 17,000 cusecs of water and storage of 17 TMC. Additionally, Jagan highlighted that during Chandrababu’s tenure, the R&R for the Pulichintala project was neglected, but the YSRCP government allocated Rs 140 crores to complete it, enabling full capacity storage of 46 TMC of water.