VIJAYAWADA: The Centre has said it cannot implement direct benefit transfer (DBT) of land acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) benefits to the Polavaram Irrigation Project displaced people.
Responding to a question raised by Kakinada YSRC MP Vanga Geeta on whether there was any request by the AP government on the processing of LA/R&R bills for the Polavaram Irrigation Project under Direct Benefit Transfer to avoid delay in disbursement, Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the AP government had requested to do so. “However, this suggestion has not been viewed to be in consonance with the approval by the Government of India regarding implementation of the project by the State,’’ he said.
Issuing a statement on Geeta’s question as to whether there was a delay in the clearance of LA and R&R bills, the minister said there is no delay in reimbursement of eligible expenditure incurred by the State on the project by the Centre, including expenditure on land acquisition as well as R&R, beyond the time taken for seeking requisite approvals.
On the reimbursement of funds, the Union Minister said the State government had submitted bills for reimbursement of Rs 3,779.5 crore during the period April 2014 to December, 2022 towards land acquisition.
Against this, the Centre has till date reimbursed Rs 3,431.59 crore. Similarly, against submission of bills for reimbursement of Rs 2,267.29 crore for R&R during the period April 2014 to December, 2022, the Centre till date has reimbursed Rs 2,110.23 crore.