Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Announces Velugonda Project Phase 1 Inauguration for August 31

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced that the long-awaited Velugonda project will be inaugurated on August 31. Sharing the development in a post on X, the Chief Minister stated that the milestone fulfills a commitment made three decades ago to transform the lives of people in the erstwhile Prakasam district.

As part of the inauguration, 10.7 TMC of water will be released into Nallamala Sagar. Recalling the project's origins, Naidu noted that he had originally laid the foundation stone for the Velugonda project on March 5, 1996, during his previous tenure as Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh.

The first phase of the Velugonda project is designed to provide irrigation water to 1.19 lakh acres. Meanwhile, the subsequent Phase-II is expected to cover an additional 3.283 lakh acres. Beyond agriculture, the project aims to supply drinking water to lakhs of residents in regions that have historically faced drought conditions, while also addressing the area's long-standing fluoride problem through household tap connections in western Prakasam.

Highlighting the broader economic development strategy, Naidu announced that the State's NDA government plans to invest ₹1 lakh crore to develop Rayalaseema and the erstwhile Prakasam district into horticulture hubs. He further pointed to ongoing infrastructure projects, such as the Bengaluru–Amaravati highway and Ramayapatnam Port, as foundational elements expected to drive future trade and industrial growth in the region.

The government's stated objectives include bringing Krishna waters from the Srisailam region to Markapur to eliminate regional backwardness, improve agricultural productivity, and generate new economic opportunities for local communities.

"Large-scale infrastructure projects like the Velugonda initiative play a critical role in unlocking regional economic potential by addressing foundational challenges like water scarcity and irrigation. For businesses and entrepreneurs looking at horticulture and regional trade in Andhra Pradesh, reliable water supply and improved logistics—such as the new highways and port infrastructure—create a more stable environment for long-term investments and agricultural commerce." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes