Vijayawada, September 30, 2026 (Journalist File): Development of Rayalaseema, with a focus on horticulture, irrigation and agricultural infrastructure, is a key priority for the Bharatiya Janata Party in Andhra Pradesh, BJP state general secretary Nagothu Ramesh Naidu said on Wednesday.
Rejecting the perception of Rayalaseema as merely a drought-prone region, Ramesh Naidu said the region had substantial natural resources and large tracts of land suitable for horticultural crops. He said better irrigation planning and farmer-oriented policies could enable farmers to cultivate commercially valuable crops even in water-stressed areas.
He pointed to the expansion of drip irrigation in the region, saying it had enabled farmers to grow crops such as bananas, papayas and pomegranates with comparatively lower water requirements. He said the coalition government would hold inauguration and foundation-stone programmes related to the proposed horticulture hub at Madanapalle on October 2, with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman among those expected to participate.
The government, he said, has set a target of expanding the area under horticulture in Rayalaseema from 8.4 lakh hectares to 14.41 lakh hectares by 2030, while increasing horticultural production to 435 lakh tonnes. Ramesh Naidu said investments were being planned for horticultural infrastructure and minor irrigation projects, with about Rs 40,352 crore expected in central support and nearly Rs 59,000 crore in potential private-sector investment.
He said the region needed integrated processing, storage and marketing infrastructure for crops including Madanapalle tomatoes, tamarind, bananas and sweet oranges. Better transportation and railway connectivity, along with digital marketing systems, would be necessary to connect farmers with larger domestic and international markets and expand export opportunities, he said.
Ramesh Naidu criticised the previous government over what he described as reduced support for drip irrigation and agricultural equipment and alleged that decisions under GO 365 had adversely affected irrigation projects in Rayalaseema. Since the coalition government assumed office, steps had been taken to complete irrigation projects and reduce the region’s dependence on rainfall, he said.
He cited reconstruction work related to the Annamayya project and surveys aimed at reducing the impact of future floods. He also said progress on the Veligonda project could facilitate the supply of Krishna river water to the Badvel region.
Ramesh Naidu said the development of irrigation, industries and infrastructure could create more employment opportunities for young people within Rayalaseema, reducing the need to migrate elsewhere for work. He called for the region’s development and farmers’ welfare to remain the focus, rather than regional, caste or emotional divisions, and appealed to farmers to attend the October 2 programme at Madanapalle in large numbers.
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