VIJAYAWADA: Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has promised to resolve the issue of Revised Cost Estimates (RCE) of Polavaram Irrigation Project, said Water Resources Minister P Anil Kumar and Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, who met him in New Delhi on Friday.
A delegation, comprising the two ministers, Special Chief Secretary (Water Resources) Aditya Nath Das, Principal Finance Secretary SS Rawat and others, called on the Jal Shakti Minister and submitted a memorandum to him seeking clearance of the RCE of `47,725 crore of Polavaram as approved by the Revised Cost Committee and other Central agencies. The representation was sent by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Anil Kumar said.
“The mistake committed by the previous TDP government is the reason for the issue. We clearly explained it to him. The Union Minister also stated that he is well aware of the issue. He felt that after spending so much public money on the project, it would not serve the purpose if it was mired in problems. So, he promised to resolve the issue at the earliest,” Anil Kumar said.
Shekhawat also responded positively to the State government’s request to include the water supply component, which the Union Ministry of Finance said would be excluded, in funding the Polavaram project, he added.
“The water supply component was part of the project as per the commitment made in the AP Reorganisation Act. Hence, the Union minister responded positively to our request. He also promised to provide funds for the completion of rehabilitation and resettlement of the project displaced families. Shekhawat will visit the Polavaram project site within 15 days to study its progress,” Anil Kumar said.
“All these problems are due to acceptance of the special package by the previous TDP regime. We are working to resolve these problems step by step. Our government has given highest priority to the irrigation project and we will complete it as per the plan,” Rajendranath Reddy said.The State government has planned to complete the civil works of Polavaram by December 2021, and divert water for Kharif 2022.
CM to visit Polavaram project site on Monday
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is scheduled to visit the Polavaram project site on Monday to take stock of the progress. He is expected to hold a review meeting with the officials and the executing agency representatives. This will be the third visit of Jagan to Polavaram as the Chief Minister. He made his maiden visit in June, 2019 soon after he assumed office as the Chief Minister. He made his second visit in February.