VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government has submitted an updated revised cost estimate (RCE) of Rs 37,059 crore for phase-I of the Polavaram Irrigation Project to the Central Water Commission (CWC) on August 2, 2023, said Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu in response to a query raised by TDP MP Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar.
The MP had sought to know if the State government had submitted a proposal of RCE, indicating the balance cost for phase-I of the project, that is for water storage up to EL 41.15 m, as Rs 17,144 crore.
Confirming that the State government had submitted the said proposal to the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) on June 5, the Union minister said they subsequently submitted an upgraded RCE of Rs 37,059 crore to Central Water Commission (CWC) on August 2, 2023.
Stating that the RCE includes requirement of Rs 19,517.36 crore for balance cost of phase-I, he explained that the Rs 10,022.17 crore was required for remaining head works, Rs 1,225.80 crore for work of left main canal, Rs 412.81 crore for right main canal, and Rs 7,856.58 crore for land acquisition and resettlement and rehabilitation.
Further, Tudu said the Polavaram Project Authority and CWC have taken up a detailed techno-economic assessment of the requirements projected by the State government.
The recommendations of the Central Water Commission are required to be endorsed by the Government of India, he added. As a first step in this regard, Union Ministry for Jal Shakti has constituted a revised cost committee, he pointed out.