Tamil Nadu CM Vijay, Chandrababu Naidu discuss Krishna river water sharing

Moving on, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu have met in Vijayawada, in what is Chief Minister Vijay's first visit to the neighbouring state. And according to the Tamil Nadu government, among the topics which will be discussed included linking of Godavari and Kaveri rivers, and the release of Krishna River water from Andhra to cater for Chennai's drinking water requirements. Speaking to his Andhra counterpart, Chief Minister Vijay highlighted that Tamil Nadu is a state which is naturally deficient in surface water resources. and that it is dependent on neighbouring states for 30% of its water requirements. He added that the Godavari-Kaveri River Linking Project offers a significant opportunity for both states to increase water availability for their people. Further, Vijay went on to highlight that the River Linking Project would go on to benefit all southern Indian states, support agriculture and strengthen drinking water security. Mentioning that he had already requested Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare this as a project of national importance, Chief Minister Vijay requested his Andhra counterpart to take forward the proposal. With regards to the water needs of Chennai city, Chief Minister Vijay also held discussions with Chief Minister Naidu over the additional release of Krishna River water. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister emphasised that Krishna River water from Andhra Pradesh is crucial for the drinking water needs of Chennai city and that the city's five reservoirs are at barely 35% capacity at present. Chief Minister N. Chandra Babu Naidu has said that Andhra Pradesh already released 4.08 thousand million cubic feet of water to Chennai this year, despite its own water constraints, but remains committed to supporting the neighbouring state. While balancing the needs of Andhra, and Godavari-Kaveri river linking project, it can provide a lasting solution to water scarcity, transform agriculture and bring prosperity to lakhs of farmers across South India.