The prestigious Polavaram project, a multi-purpose irrigation venture which enjoys status of a national scheme, will be completed by 2019, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said.

The multi-crore project across Godavari river will be completed by 2019 and water for irrigation would be released by 2018 itself, he said.

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Naidu was addressing a public meeting at Pithapuram town, about 35km from here, after laying the foundation stone for the Rs 1,645-crore Purushottam Patnam lift irrigation project.

The CM said once completed, this project would benefit five Assembly constituencies – Pithapuram, Peddapurm, Tuni, Jeggampeta and Prathipadu – bringing in 2.15 lake acres of land under assured irrigation.

Naidu said the scheme also envisages construction of a pump house at Purushottam Patnam to lift flood water from Godavari and take it 10km away to Polavaram left canal.

He criticised Opposition parties, especially Congress and YSR Congress, for "creating hurdles" in the path of the Polavaram project for their selfish political ends.

Conceived decades ago, the Polavaram project is likely to irrigate over seven lakh acres in Andhra Pradesh and produce 960 MW of hydel energy.