I never opposed Kaleswaram: Chandrababu Naidu

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said he never opposed the Kaleswaram project taken up by former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. He lauded KCR’s efforts to tap Godavari water for the Telangana state.

Similarly, he said he is taking up the Godavari-Banakacherla canal project to transform the state’s water management and agricultural landscape.

Naidu dismissed Telangana’s objections, asserting that Andhra Pradesh is only using floodwater that would otherwise be wasted. He called the Godavari “Sri Rama Raksha” for both Telugu states. Naidu argued that lower riparian states like Andhra Pradesh have the right to use surplus water, especially given incidents like the 2024 Vijayawada floods, which he attributed to uncontrolled flows from upstream regions.

A game changer for Rayalaseema

Naidu has referred to this project as a transformative initiative and the “gateway to Rayalaseema.” Its goal is to use the Banakacherla head regulator to send extra water from the Godavari River to dry parts of Andhra Pradesh, especially to the Rayalaseema, Prakasam, and Nellore districts.

The Chief Minister has repeatedly stressed the transformative potential of the project. To deal with the project’s rising costs, which are expected to go up even more if it is put off, Naidu has pushed for a hybrid approach that combines central and state funding with private partnerships. He conceptualizes the Banakacherla canal as an integral component of an extensive river interlinking initiative, linking the Godavari, Krishna, and Penna rivers to guarantee water security and foster economic development.