New Delhi, Feb 10 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday met several Union ministers seeking the Centre's intervention for expediting the Polavaram irrigation project, release of Rs 1,211 crore pending under various farm schemes, and expansion of railway infrastructure in the state.

During his visit to the national capital, Naidu held separate meetings with Union ministers for Jal Shakti, Agriculture, Railways, Home and Finance, Housing and Urban Affairs and Steel pressing for financial assistance and approvals across key sectors.

POLAVARAM PROJECT AND WATER DISPUTE ----------------------------------------------- In a meeting with Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, Naidu urged the Centre to permanently revoke the stop work order on the Polavaram Project, stating that the order continues to obstruct the smooth execution of the project, an official statement said.

He sought reimbursement of the increased costs incurred due to capacity enhancement of the Polavaram right and left main canals and appealed for full financial assistance for Polavaram Phase II, which includes land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement, and construction of protective embankments.

Naidu informed the Union minister that Phase II alone requires an additional funding of about Rs 32,000 crore.

The chief minister also presented proposals for the Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar Link Project, aimed at diverting surplus Godavari floodwaters to drought-prone regions.

He described the project as a crucial lifeline that would meet drinking water, irrigation, and industrial needs, and requested approvals, along with technical and financial support under the National River Linking Policy.

Raising inter-state concerns, the chief minister urged early resolution of the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha Vamsadhara river water dispute. He pressed for the final report of the Vamsadhara Water Disputes Tribunal to be notified in the gazette without delay, stating that this would clear the way for the construction of the Neradi Barrage on the Vamsadhara river.

He also highlighted the continuing dispute between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana over the sharing of Godavari waters and called for immediate constitution of the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal to ensure equitable river water allocation.

Expressing objections to Karnataka's move to increase the height of the Almatti Dam on the Upper Krishna, Naidu cautioned that such a move would have serious adverse impact on downstream water availability for Andhra Pradesh.

AGRICULTURE FUNDING AND ORGANIC PUSH ------------------------------------------------- In his meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Naidu sought release of Rs 1,211 crore pending funds under various central farm schemes. He pressed for immediate release of Rs 216 crore under the PM PRANAM scheme, Rs 200 crore central assistance for coconut cultivation development, Rs 695 crore pending under the Per Drop More Crop scheme, and Rs 100 crore as the Centre's share under the Price Deficiency Payment System for mango farmers for the 2025-26 season.

Informing the Union minister about the state's progress in reducing chemical fertiliser usage, Naidu said Andhra Pradesh has achieved a 2.28 per cent reduction during 2024-25 crop year (July-June).

He said the state government is aggressively promoting organic and natural farming with 18 lakh farmers already giving consent to adopt organic farming practices across nearly eight lakh hectares.

The CM also sought the establishment of a Makhana Development Board in the state, informing Chouhan that nearly 50,000 acres in Kolleru Lake region are suitable for makhana cultivation.

RAILWAY EXPANSION AND CONNECTIVITY ---------------------------------------------- In a meeting with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Naidu submitted a detailed memorandum seeking completion of ongoing railway projects, sanction of new railway lines and introduction of additional train services in Andhra Pradesh.

He requested that the Bengaluru-Chennai high speed rail corridor be extended to connect Tirupati and sought that the Railway Minister issue a gazette notification to commence operations of the South Coastal Railway Zone from April 1.

He requested the establishment of greenfield mega coaching terminals at Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, and Amaravati. He also sought cooperation for setting up a dedicated freight corridor between Itarsi and Vijayawada and proposed the East Coast Freight Corridor between Kharagpur and Chennai via Vijayawada.

The Chief Minister also requested operating a Vande Bharat train service between Vijayawada and Bengaluru via Tirupati.

SWACH ANDHRA AND ZERO LANDFILL TARGET --------------------------------------------------- Chief Minister Naidu met Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar and discussed Andhra Pradesh's flagship Swachh Andhra initiative being implemented as part of the Swachh Bharat programme.

The Chief Minister briefed the Union Minister on the comprehensive steps being taken by the state government to strengthen waste management systems and transform Andhra Pradesh into a Zero Landfill State.

He informed that a detailed action plan has been prepared under Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0 with an estimated outlay of Rs 276 crore to achieve zero landfill status across urban local bodies in the state.

The chief minister requested approval of Rs 105 crore as the Centre's share to support the implementation of the zero landfill action plan.

VIZAG STEEL PLANT REVIVAL -------------------------------- Naidu met Union Minister for Steel HD Kumaraswamy and expressed gratitude to the central government for its support in putting the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (RINL) back on the path of profitability.

The chief minister informed the Union Minister that the turnaround of Vizag Steel Plant was made possible due to the financial assistance extended by the Centre, strong support from the Andhra Pradesh government, and the determination and hard work of the plant's workers and employees.

He stated that RINL has not only returned to profits but is also operating at full capacity, marking a significant milestone for the iconic public sector steel plant.

Naidu also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and discussed key state-related issues, including ongoing and proposed projects, and sought the Centre's support on funding and approvals. PTI LUX TRB