VIJAYAWADA: Stating that the Centre would provide 100 per cent funding for the irrigation component of Polavaram project (incurred from April 1, 2014), Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that the further release of funds was dependent on the finalisation of the audit of expenditure made on the project prior to it being declared a national project on April 1, 2014. The Union minister also stated that the revised cost estimates (RCE) of the project as per 2013-14 price level, which the Centre takes as the benchmark for funding, was Rs 54,466.1 crore.
It may be recalled that the technical advisory committee of the Central Water Commission (CWC), in February, 2019, had approved RCE at Rs 55,548 crore at 2017-18 price level. The RCE is yet to get financial concurrence from the Centre. In reply to a query posed by TDP MP Kesineni Srinivas in the Lok Sabha, the minister said that the Union Ministry of Finance had, in July, 2018, requested the State government to submit audited statement of expenditure incurred till March 31, 2014, and the RCE at 2013-14 price level. The Finance ministry had once again, in Nov 2019, conveyed that further release of funds would not be made pending finalisation of the audit.