Farmers under Veligonda ayacut can expect Krishna waters to wet their lands during next kharif, according to Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

“The dream project of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy is being implemented on a war-footing. The first phase of the project will be completed by August 2022 at any cost,” Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy asserted during the launch of the ‘YSR Aasara’ scheme here on Thursday.

The first tunnel, with a capacity to carry 3,000 cusecs of water, had already been completed and work on the 9,000-cusecs second tunnel was being expedited, he explained.

The second phase of the project would be completed in February 2023, he said amid loud cheers from the gathering.

Water project for Ongole

As Energy Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy took up the water woes of the people of Ongole, the Chief Minister sanctioned a ₹400-crore project to augment drinking water supply to Ongole.

Earlier, Mr. Srinivasa Reddy said the YSRCP would fight all the elections on its own strength and challenged the TDP to do so.

Dig at TDP, JSP

Fearing rout in the elections, the TDP was desperate to forge an alliance with other parties, he said.

Pawan Kalyan’s JSP, which had levelled baseless allegations against the government, would not be able to win even a single Assembly seat in the next elections, Mr. Srinivasa Reddy said.

Education Minister A. Suresh expressed the confidence that the YSRCP would continue its winning streak in all the future elections, and that Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy would continue as Chief Minister for 30 more years.

Rehabilitation of persons displaced by the Veligonda project was going on in full swing, he said, adding the government was committed to strengthening the Andhra Kesari Tanguturi Prakasam University and Abdul Kalam IIIT by providing funds.

Accusing former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of betraying the people by not implementing the poll promises, which included loan waiver to SHG women, Rural Development Minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy said people would only back the “performing Chief Minister,” who had already fulfilled 95% of the poll promises, including repayment of SHG women’s loan outstanding till April 2019.