Complete Polavaram project before next elections: Andhra Pradesh to Centre

NEW DELHI: The Andhra Pradesh government today requested the Centre to complete the Polavaram multi- purpose irrigation project within four years.

"We have requested for completing the Polavaram project within four to four-and-a-half years before the next elections," Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu told reporters after a meeting with Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati here today.

He also urged the Union Ministry to make Andhra Pradesh a model state for water resource management.

Naidu also asked Bharati to consider linking of Godavari and Krishna rivers in the wake of the NDA government actively pursuing various river interlinking projects in the country.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Bharati said the Polavaram project was the nation's pride and offered to extend all possible assistance for the purpose.

The Polavaram irrigation project has been declared a national project which the Centre is to execute it as per the AP Reorganisation Act.