The Andhra Pradesh State Government has formed the Jala Harati Corporation to undertake the Polavaram- Banakacharla Link Project. It has issued orders appointing Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu as the Chairman of the Corporation and Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu as the Vice Chairman.
It has also appointed the Special Chief Secretary of the Water Resources Department as the CEO and other officers as members. It has been established as a 100% special purpose vehicle (SPV) under the Companies Act. Special Chief Secretary of the Water Resources Department Sai Prasad has issued orders to establish the Jala Harati Corporation to this extent.
Sai Prasad said that the Chandrababu government intends to establish the Polavaram- Banakacharla Link Project to divert flood waters from the Polavaram Project. He revealed that the government is making plans to provide drinking water to 80 lakh people through this project.
He said that 9.14 lakh hectares of agricultural land can be irrigated and another 3 lakh hectares of new land can be irrigated. He also revealed that 20 TMC of water can be provided to industries. He said that the government has estimated the cost of this project to be Rs. 80,112 crore.
He said that this link project will be built to make good use of the flood water that is being wasted in the Godavari basin. Sai Prasad said that plans are being prepared to move water from the Bollapalli Balancing Reservoir in Palnadu district to the Banakacherla Regulator.
He said that there is a possibility of moving about 150 TMC of water through this and this flood water can be moved to the districts facing water shortage. He expressed hope that this project will help in providing water to the Rayalaseema districts where there is severe rainfall deficiency.
The Special Chief Secretary stated that water will have to be transported from Nallamala to the Polavaram- Banakacharla regulator through canals, lift irrigation schemes, underground pipelines and tunnels. He stated that orders have been issued to form a special water supply corporation for this.
He revealed that the government intends to make it a self-financing project. He said that there is a possibility of raising funds from the open markets as an SPV.