VIJAYAWADA: Former minister and TDP politburo member Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy has appealed to the Centre to take over the Polavaram project as the YSRC government out of vendetta against former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu stalled the works.
“Polavaram is a national project and the Centre is releasing funds for it. The previous TDP government had taken up the project for its expeditious completion and completed 73 per cent of works. In the wake of prevailing uncertain conditions in the State, it is better for the Centre to take over the project execution. In my individual capacity, I am appealing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to take over the Polavaram project so as to complete it in a span of one-and-a-half-years,” he said.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Saturday, the TDP leader said that the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) Chief Executive Officer in the report submitted to the Centre mentioned that the Centre would have to bear Rs 300 crore additional burden per year if the project execution was delayed.
“The Centre will get people’s appreciation if it takes over the Polavaram project and completes it in a time bound manner. In fact, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy himself demanded the Centre to take up the Polavaram project when he was in the opposition,’’ he said.
The government should also complete the construction of capital Amaravati at the earliest, Somireddy said.