AP govt seeks Centre nod on revised Polavaram estimates of Rs 55,548 cr

Vijayawada Andhra Pradesh has urged the Centre to approve the revised estimates of Rs 55,548.87 crore for the Polavaram Project and release Rs 17,144 crore on priority basis to expedite the first phase works.

The request was made through a memorandum submitted by Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. This assumes importance as it came almost a few days after Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat asked the Ministry of Jal Shakti to put forward the appeal for clearance for release of Rs 17,144 crore by the Ministry of Finance.

During his visit, the Chief Minister also called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The meeting between Jagan Mohan Reddy and the Prime Minister took place amid fears that June, 2024, the deadline for completion of first phase works of the inter-State project would be missed by a year.

The memorandum stated that Rs 17,444 crore is required for implementation of the Relief and Rehabilitation (R&R) package for the displaced persons in 36 villages and to take up other urgent works. Unless the funds for R & R package are released, the first phase remains incomplete, the Chief Minister pointed out during his Delhi visit and urged the Prime Minister to issue instructions to the Jala Sakti Ministry to release the amount at the earliest.

He also appealed to reimburse the arrears of Rs 1,310.15 crore incurred by the State government on Polavaram Project. The Chief Minister requested the Prime Minister to take immediate steps to ensure that the Telangana Government cleared an amount of Rs 7,230.14 crore outstanding from the TS Discoms to APGENCO for the power supplied between 2014 and 2017.

He also told the Prime Minister that the State has been incurring additional financial burden of Rs 5,527 crore on supplying ration to 56 lakh families every year under the PMGKAY due to irrational selection of beneficiaries under National Food Security Act. To compensate for this, the Centre should supply 77,000 metric tonnes of rice from unused ration stocks of one lakh tonnes every month to AP.

SCS status

The Chief Minister also appealed to him to implement the promise of granting Special Category Status (SCS) to the State as it helps in quick industrial development and provides employment opportunities to the youth.

Explaining that the State government is constructing 17 new medical colleges as the number of districts has gone up to 26 from 13, he sought financial support to go ahead with the work. The construction of medical colleges is in full swing, he said.