₹8,400-crore Jal Jeevan Mission works to address drinking water woes in Nellore district

With an aim to permanently resolve the drinking water problems in combined Nellore district over next three years, Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy announced the ‘Amrutha Dhara-II’ (water grid) project under Jal Jeevan Mission programme at an estimated cost of ₹8,400 crore.

Amrutha Dhara is a drinking water supply project with sustainable water sources in 32 mandals of Nellore district and 14 mandals of Tirupati district. A detailed project report (DPR) has been prepared with two segments in this project – Somasila and Kandaleru.

This project will benefit more than 20 lakh people (5.41 lakh households) in the combined Nellore district. Around 1,890 works are ongoing under Jal Jeevan Mission programme with an estimated cost of ₹240 crore.

Minister Ramanaraya Reddy said that the NDA alliance government is working with sincerity to provide drinking water connection to each house in every village. He said that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan are trying hard to solve the drinking water woes.

“The previous YSRCP government did not utilise the funds sanctioned by the Central government under Jal Jeevan Mission. The drinking water was not given priority. Not even 10 to 15 percent of the houses were given tap water connections,” the Minister alleged.

The Minister revealed that the Jal Jeevan works sanctioned by the previous government were cancelled and new DPRs were prepared by the alliance government. The district authorities have been directed to provide safe drinking water to every house.

As per the 2011 census, the population of the district is 20.09 lakh and it is estimated to be 27.52 lakh by 2058. The State government is trying to utilise 1.58 tmcs of water from Somasila to 24 mandals and 2.64 tmcs of water from Kandaleru to 23 mandals for drinking water requirements.

The Minister suggested the Rural Water Supply (RWS) Department staff to discuss with local MLAs and propose the necessary works. He said that third party consultancies have also been arranged and they will prepare a full report in coordination with the district authorities.