VIJAYAWADA: Congress Rajya Sabha member KVP Ramachandra Rao has challenged the CM, Minister for Water Resources and officials who are privy to the matter to issue an official statement stating that there is no burden on the State exchequer on Polavaram expenditure and the Centre will bear the entire cost of project as per the approval given by the Technical Advisory Committee at 2017-18 price level.
In response to KVP’s letter to the CM on Saturday, the State Water Resources Department officials said it was a standard practice of the Technical Advisory Committee to approve the revised cost estimates at current price levels and maintained that the Centre will bear the entire cost of the project.
Reacting to the State government’s claim, the Congress leader dared it for an open debate on the issue. He said he is ready to take back his claims if the State government officially issues a statement with facts and figures attesting that the entire cost will be borne by the Centre.