VIJAYAWADA: In response to State government’s request for release dues amounting to Rs 2,087 crore spent on execution of Polavaram project, the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) has only recommended for the release of Rs 711 crore to Andhra Pradesh.
This was disclosed by Minister of State for Jal Shakti Bisweswar Tudu in the Rajya Sabha during question hour. Replying in writing to a question from YSRC MP V Vijayasai Reddy about the delay in refund of the amount spent on Polavaram Project by the State government, the minister said due to scrutiny of bills by seeking additional information from state government and checking if the government is following guidelines nor not, there was delay in clearing the bills.
All the bills, after scrutinised by the PPA and CWC will be sent to the Jal Shakti ministry, which in turn forwards it to the Ministry of Finance for approval. In case there is approval, NABARD will raise the funds from the market, which will take two to three weeks. The funds raised in such a manner are sent to the National Water Development Agency and from there to PPA and to AP, the minister explained.