Centre playing hide and seek with AP on Polavaram

The Narendra Modi government at the Centre appears to be playing a hide and seek game with Andhra Pradesh on Polavaram major irrigation project being built on Godavari river in West Godavari district.

Though as per the AP Reorganisation Act, the Centre has to bear 100 per cent expenditure on Polavaram project which has been declared as a national project, the NDA government has not been releasing funds for the timely completion of the project.

As a result, the project cost has been going up substantially. But instead of revising the project cost, the Centre is saying it will clear the bills only as per the rates prevailing in 2013-14.

It has been ignoring the repeated requests of the state government to release the funds as per the revised project costs.

Against this backdrop, Union Jal Sakthi minister Gajendra Singh is visiting the Polavaram project site on March 4 to inspect the ongoing works on the project spillway, upper and lower coffer dam, earth-cum-rockfill dam and radial gates and review with the project officials.

Apparently, the Union minister is coming only to question the authorities for spending of excess money on the Polavaram project works. Very recently, Polavaram project authority rejected the bills to the extent of Rs 325 crore sent by the state irrigation department.

The PPA also rejected the claim for Rs 71.37 crore for the construction of temporary structures on Polavaram right canal and another Rs 133.97 crore on the Polavaram hydro-electric project works. In all, the Centre has rejected bills to the extent of Rs 1,383 crore spent on the project.

Sources said the Union minister’s visit to Polavaram might not result in any additional benefit to the state, as everything is in the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“It appears the Centre is neglecting the project as it doesn’t help the Bharatiya Janata Party in Andhra Pradesh in any manner. Instead, if the project is completed, it will help YSR Congress party gain political mileage immensely. The BJP doesn’t want it to happen,” sources said.