Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday called for a state-wide movement to conserve, store and effectively utilize water for agriculture, drinking needs and long-term economic growth.
Launching a 100-day action plan for water conservation at Yadiki village in Tadipatri constituency of Anantapur district, the Chief Minister said his government is committed to making the state drought-free by taking water conservation as a mission.
The four-stage work plan includes identifying works from April 6 to 15, administrative approvals from April 16 to 20, implementing works from April 21 to July 9, and submitting completion reports from July 10 to 14.
“In total, 5,697 villages have been identified as areas suffering from groundwater deficiency. The government aims to improve groundwater levels by at least 1.5 meters by filling all reservoirs and enhancing storage capacity,” he added.
He said the government has set a target of ensuring availability of groundwater at a distance of six meters before summer and three meters after the monsoon. The Chief Minister said that the groundwater level in the state has already risen by an average of 1.92 meters over the past 21 months due to environmental conservation and soil protection measures.
“In Anantapur district, groundwater which was previously available at a depth of only 13 metres, is now available at a depth of about 11 metres, reflecting an improvement of 2.2 metres,” he said.
Departments, including irrigation, agriculture, panchayat raj, forest and animal husbandry, will work in coordination to implement water conservation initiatives, with water user associations playing a central role, Naidu said.
The Prime Minister said the government has undertaken a drive to capture runoff, store surface water and recharge groundwater through measures like percolation pits, check dams, agricultural ponds, sediment removal from tanks and canals, watershed works, sprinkler systems and micro irrigation.
Naidu highlighted micro irrigation as a major success story, saying Andhra Pradesh is now spending $1,031 crore in the sector and topped the country in its implementation. The state’s widespread adoption of drip irrigation, especially in drought-prone areas like Anantapur, has helped transform Rayalaseema into a horticulture hub, where earlier government subsidies of up to 90% had played a crucial role, he said.
The Chief Minister said the state needs nearly 1,300 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water annually, including 547 TMC for Kharif, 343 TMC for Rabi, 28 TMC for industries and 158 TMC for drinking water.
Naidu also stressed the need for scientific planning and integrated water management. He directed officials to use satellite images and hydrological maps to correlate water bodies, and asked irrigation associations to prepare water budgets and conduct water audits.
Describing water security as a collective responsibility, the Prime Minister urged farmers, irrigation societies, gram municipalities and citizens to actively participate and turn Jaladhara into a mass movement. “Water is wealth,” he said. “The more we use it wisely, the more prosperity it will provide.”
