VIJAYAWADA: Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has assured to reimburse the pending funds to the tune of Rs 4,000 crore spent by the AP government on Polavaram national project.A delegation of the YSRC MPs and officials from the State government, led by Water Resources Minister P Anil Kumar Yadav, called on the Union Minister in New Delhi on Monday. They submitted a memorandum to Shekhawat seeking the release of the pending funds and apprised him of the status of various irrigation projects in the State. He was also invited to AP to see the progress of the Polavaram project works.
Shekhawat assured to clear the file in a day or two and send the same to the Union Finance Ministry for release of the pending funds to the State. The clearance of the file got delayed as the Union Minister had tested positive for coronavirus. The Union Minister was also informed about the projects being taken up by AP on River Krishna to provide sufficient water to the parched Rayalaseema region.
Later, Yadav told newsmen that the Union Minister responded positively to the issues put forward by the AP government. “We informed him about the commitment of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to complete the Polavaram project by 2021. Besides informing about the ongoing Relief and Rehabilitation works, we urged him that the early release of funds will help expedite the R & R works. Shekhawat responded positively to all the issues taken to his notice, Yadav said.
Stating that the Centre was asked to fix a date for conducting the apex council meeting on the water disputes between the two Telugu States, Yadav said Jagan Mohan Reddy is prepared to present the State’s arguments effectively. Special Chief Secretary (Water Resources) Adityanath Das accompanied Yadav.