Andhra govt releases water from Kuppam Branch Canal

On the orders of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the state authorities on Monday released water from the Kuppam Branch Canal that would irrigate 6,300 acres afresh in Kuppam constituency and provide drinking water to 4.02 lakh people in Kuppam and Palamaneru.
Addressing a huge public meeting here on Monday after conducting special prayers at the canal and releasing water at Rajupet in Ramakuppam mandal, the chief minister said his government worked with a strong commitment to the development of the constituency, which, he claimed, was neglected during the previous TDP rule.
Stating that the release of water from Kuppam Branch Canal would be written about in golden letters in Andhra’s history, the CM said he had fulfilled the promise that he made to the people in a public meeting at Kuppam on September 23, 2022.
“After giving administrative sanction to the Kuppam Branch Canal in 2015 and giving the contract to benami firms, Naidu treated it as a canal of money flowing into his pockets but abandoned it later as he found the cash flow from the canal inadequate,” the CM said.
“Though Naidu abandoned the canal project, the government worked hard to bring Krishna water to Kuppam, 540 meters upstream and 670 km away from Srisailam, as part of the Handri Niva Project,” the CM said.
The 123.641 km-long Kuppam Branch Canal was constructed at Rs 560.29 crore under the AVR HNSS Project Phase-2 to strengthen the ayacut connecting 110 minor irrigation tanks in the Kuppam constituency.
He said the government has upgraded Kuppam from a panchayat to a municipality, besides establishing a revenue division and a police sub-division for Kuppam.
He said Rs 66 crore has been sanctioned for various development works in Kuppam municipality and Rs 100 crore for development works in four Mandals of Kuppam constituency, besides giving administrative approvals for the construction of a Rs 215 crore reservoir as part of the Palar project.
The government has also given administrative approvals for the construction of two reservoirs at Madanapalle near Shantipuram Mandal and Yamigani Palle near Gudipalli Mandal, with a cost of Rs. 535 crore. These reservoirs will irrigate an additional 5,000 acres, the CM informed