HYDERABAD: Days after AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed his displeasure over the meagre `100-crore budgetary allocation to the Polavaram project, the Centre on Thursday announced an additional `250 crore to the State for setting up a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to execute the project.
“In terms of Section 90 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, the Union Government has decided to support AP for setting up of SPV for the Polavaram Irrigation Project and release `250 crore in this financial year,” the Union Government said in a press release.The Centre also informed the State government it was releasing `549.60 crore from the National Small Savings Fund to help it face pressing financial commitments, sources told Express.
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and TDP leader YS Chowdary, AP Panchayat Raj Minister Ch Ayyannapatrudu and Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana, meanwhile, called on Union Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh and requested him to release more funds to AP from his department.
Later, speaking to reporters, Sujana Chowdary said, “We are expecting more funds from the Centre in the coming days. `1,000 crore for the capital construction and another `250 crore for the conduct of Godavari Pushkarams will be released by March 31.” On the other hand, Naidu decided to lay the foundation for Pattiseema scheme on March 29.