Hyderabad: The governments of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on Tuesday announced that both states would work together on a range of issues ranging from water-sharing, energy and how to curb left-wing extremism. The decision was taken after AP chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy met his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik for a meeting to resolve the various issues the border-sharing states had in common.
The two leaders decided to resolve the issues pertaining to the Polavaram irrigation project, the release of water for the Bhahuda river, a no-objection certificate for the Balimela and Upper Sileru areas, the Janjhavathi project, as well a discussion on the state identities of residents in the Kotia group of villages.
A day ago, the Andhra Pradesh government officials said in a press release that chief minister Jagan will elaborate upon the mutual benefits that will accrue due to the construction of the Neradi barrage. A total of 103 acres of land is required from Odisha for the construction of the barrage, of which 67 acres is a riverbed area. The barrage will provide immediate irrigation facilities to 5,000-6,000 acres of land in Odisha.
The chief ministers also took stock of the Janjhavathi project wherein that the water for cultivation is being provided only to 5,000 acres of 24,640 acres of land through the rubber dam and completion of the project would benefit the farmers even more.
They also agreed upon tackling issues pertaining to left-wing extremism and the cultivation of ganja.
The states also planned on working towards setting up a chair for Odia and Telugu languages in B.R. Ambedkar University, Srikakulam, and Berhampur University, respectively.
(with IANS inputs)