All governments should work together for the welfare of farmers – The Tungabhadra Project gates were dedicated to the nation today by the Chief Ministers of three states along with the Union Minister – Similar is the case with the Godavari-Cauvery river linkage
June 25th Bharat News NATIONAL
(Five-Star Rated News Service by Google)
AMARAVATI – Raja Pentapati- Bureau Chief
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that all governments should work together for the welfare of farmers.
The Chief Minister, along with Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Union Minister C.R. Patil, today inaugurated the new gates of the Tungabhadra project.
He said that although the states are different, the country is one and the Tungabhadra Dam has played a key role in providing irrigation and drinking water to the people of the three states. Recalling the incident in August 2024 when one of the gates of the Tungabhadra Dam was washed away, he said that the states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have jointly undertaken restoration work at a cost of Rs. 51 crore and installed 33 new gates.
After the 19th gate was washed away in 2024, a stop-lock gate was installed to prevent water wastage, and the project has been further strengthened with the subsequent restoration of all 33 crest gates, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said. He appreciated the coordination between the Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka governments in completing the work.
Highlighting the historical and spiritual importance of the Tungabhadra river, the Chief Minister said that it served as a natural protective shield for the Vijayanagara Empire and Hampi.
He said that many important pilgrimage sites like the Jogulamba Temple, the Virupaksha Temple in Hampi and the Sri Raghavendra Swamy Math in Mantralayam are located on its banks. He stressed that river connectivity is essential for the future of the country.
Referring to the successful implementation of the Ken-Betwa river linking project in North India, he said that a similar Godavari-Cauvery river linking project would bring long-term benefits to Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Recalling a decision taken in 1983 by the Prime Minister and four Chief Ministers, he said that 5 TMC of water had been agreed to be provided to Tamil Nadu, and 15 TMC of drinking water was supplied to Chennai with the consent of the then undivided Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The Chief Minister stressed the need for judicious and efficient use of water resources in the wake of the declining flow into reservoirs due to the El Nino effect.
He suggested that states should first take up river linking projects within their respective jurisdictions and then move towards inter-state river linking. He reiterated that protecting the interests of farmers is a common objective of all governments.
He said that this meeting between the southern states will go down in history as a milestone. He called on all the concerned parties to work together to protect the interests of the farmers.
Swacha Andhra Pradesh
