VIJAYAWADA: Following the Union Cabinet’s approval to sanction Rs 12,157 crore for completing phase-one works of the Polavaram Irrigation Project and to develop three industrial corridors in the State, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said the Centre’s decisions have given a renewed hope to his government.
Besides allocating the funds, the Chief Minister noted, the Centre has fixed a timeline for the completion of works under the first phase of the project (up to the level of 41.15 metres) by March, 2027. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil for the same. Further, he pointed out that completion of phase-one works will allow storage of 119 TMC of water in the Polavaram project.
Speaking to mediapersons at the State Secretariat on Wednesday, the Chief Minister felt that the Centre’s support will give a fillip to the State, at a time when it is in distress.
It has been estimated that Rs 30,436.95 crore is required for phase-1 of the project. The State government had spent Rs 4,730.71 crore before it was declared as a national project. After considering the State’s contribution, an amount of Rs 25,706 crore is to be paid by the Centre. So, far Rs 15,146 crore has been released. As the State government spent Rs 1,095 crore on land acquisition and compensations, the Centre has now approved the sanction of the remaining Rs 12,157 crore. Of the total, Rs 6,000 crore will be released in 2024-25 and the remaining Rs 6,157 crore in 2025-26, Naidu explained.
Observing that the cost of the project will surge with the delay in construction, he said, “The irrigation project, which was dumped in the Godavari River during the YSRC regime, is now back on track.”
3 of 12 new industrial corridors pass through AP
Further, he said water can be provided up to Visakhapatnam through Polavaram Left Main Canal. On the other hand, Naidu said, by taking water to the Krishna River through the Polavaram Right Main Canal, 150 TMC water can be lifted to Nagarjuna Sagar Right canal by completing the lift irrigation project at Vykuntapuram. “Thus, by improving the availability of water in Krishna River and taking the water to Bhanakacharla through Nallamala, Rayalaseema region will be provided with adequate water,” the Chief Minister added.
He also pointed out that three of the 12 industrial corridors that the Centre has decided to develop pass through the State. The Centre has come forward to spend Rs 28,602 crore on Visakhapatnam - Chennai Industrial Corridor, Bengaluru - Chennai Industrial Corridor and Bengaluru - Hyderabad Industrial Corridor, he explained. By developing industrial parks at Kopparthy and Orvakallu in Kadapa and Kurnool districts, employment can be generated on a large scale, he added. Naidu also highlighted that the Centre has given approvals for Krishnapatnam hub and pharma hub at Nakkapalli.
Rs 28,000 crore for industrial corridors
The Centre has come forward to spend Rs 28,602 crore on Visakhapatnam - Chennai, Bengaluru - Chennai and Bengaluru - Hyderabad Industrial Corridors, Naidu explained & added that developing industrial nodes at Kopparthy & Orvakal will generate jobs at a large scale