Nellore: State government has been paying special attention on efforts to complete the first tunnel work of Velugonda project before end of December this year to provide water for irrigation and drinking in water-starved western parts of Prakasam district. Steps are also being taken to provide water to land owners over 62,000 acres during the khariff season and 80,000 acres for the rabi season from Kandula Obul Reddy Gundlakamma reservoir.
In addition to this, arrangements are also being made to supply drinking water to 2.56 lakh people from the reservoir.
AP irrigation minister and Prakasam District in-charge minister, Dr P. Anilkumar Yadav said this while addressing a gathering as part of the Independence Day celebrations at Ongole on Thursday.
According to Dr Anilkumar, Prakasam district stood first in utilising free crop insurance scheme. As many as 3,45,144 farmers have registered their names under the scheme while 3,43,957 of them have availed bank loans.
Meanwhile students of different private and government schools enthralled the gathering with their performance accompanied by patriotic songs.
A colourfully decorated tableaux of agriculture, horticulture and AP micro irrigation departments bagged first prize among 12 tableaux presented during the I-Day celebrations.
The second prize went to District Panchayat wing and third to District Water Management Agency (DWMA). State Energy, Forest and Environment Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, education minister Adimulapu Suresh, Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, collector Pola Bhaskar, district judge T. Jyothirmayi and SP Siddharth Kushal were present among others on the occasion.
