Chandrababu Naidu Criticizes Previous Government for Mishandling Andhra Flood Preparedness

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu strongly critiqued former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday, accusing the previous government of mismanaging land around the Budameru River and neglecting crucial infrastructure. Naidu stated that the lack of attention to these projects had left the state vulnerable to the recent floods.

In a pointed comment aimed at Jagan Mohan Reddy, Naidu said, “The negligence and irregularities of the previous government have been a curse to the state.” He emphasized that if the Budameru River works had been completed, Andhra Pradesh might have avoided the severe flooding that recently devastated areas like Vijayawada, claiming around 40 lives.

Referring to the recent floods, Naidu mentioned that floodwaters from the Krishna River reached a flow of 11.43 cusecs, causing significant disruption. He commended the state’s swift recovery efforts, noting that normalcy was restored in just 10 days. "If the previous rulers were still in power, it would have taken six months or more to bring things back to normal," he added.

Earlier in the month, Naidu had blamed the previous administration for exacerbating the damage caused by the floods, citing their poor decision-making as the root cause. He assured the public that plans were in place to prevent such disasters in the future.

Naidu also accused the former government of mismanaging public funds, claiming that Rs 990 crore from the Panchayat Raj department and funds for the Polavaram project had been diverted with no proper accounting. “We now face dues of Rs 1,650 crore to grain farmers and a loan burden of Rs 10.5 lakh crore,” he said.

Regarding the Polavaram project, Naidu called it a "boon to the state" and said he had secured Rs 12,000 crore from the central government to restart the project. He also announced several development projects for Eluru, including constructing a bridge near the Sanivarapupeta causeway with a budget of Rs 15 crore.

Regarding flood relief, Naidu praised the overwhelming response from affected communities. He highlighted that every household received financial assistance of Rs 25,000, while those living on the first floors were provided Rs 10,000. Additionally, insurance claims were being processed for owners of two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and four-wheelers, ensuring support for those who had suffered losses due to the floods.