Several Andhra Pradesh ministers performed Ganga puja at different irrigation projects in the state on Sunday as thanks-giving to the Goddess for blessing the state and its people with bountiful rains.
While Finance Minister K Rosaiah and Home Minister K Jana Reddy performed the 'Gangamma puja' at Nagarjunasagar dam, the Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah performed a puja at the Srisailam dam.
The Sports and Culture Minister M Satyanarayana Rao performed a puja at Sriramsagar while the Higher Education Minister P Venkateswara Rao and Panchayat Raj Minister J C Diwakar Reddy performed a puja at the Prakasam barrage.
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"This year, the Rain God has answered our prayers and there has been widespread downpour in almost all parts of the state. According to information given by Irrigation officials, for the first time in the recent past, as much as 6 lakh cusecs of flood water has been received by the Krishna basin in the state from the upper reaches in neighbouring states," Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy said in a statement.
Farm operations in Krishna basin, covering Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, Nalgonda, Kurnool and Cuddapah districts, gained momentum following the recent rains and release of water into canals from the major reservoirs.
This would help farmers to raise crops in the entire 11 lakh acre ayacut in the Krishna basin,
besides facilitating full-fledged cultivation in the Godavari ayacut. "This will be a big boon to farmers, particularly with the government supplying power free of cost to around 95 per cent of the ryots," he added.
On Sunday, the water levels in different irrigation dams in the state were: Jurala 1,034 feet (full reservoir level of 1,045 ft); Srisailam 872 ft (FRL 885 ft); Nagarjunasagar 576 ft (590 ft); Sriramsagar 1091 ft (1,091 ft), Nizamsagar 1,374 ft (1,405 ft) and Singur 1,696 (1,718 ft)