Expressing dissatisfaction at the apparent delay in sanctioning the second DPR of the Polavaram project, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said it was easy for Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to promise to resolve the pending issues in a matter of few days but difficult to implement due to various reasons including the bureaucratic processes.
“We have submitted full information on Polavaram to senior officers in the Union Ministry of Water Resources. A Central team is coming on September 5 to take stock of the situation. We are hopeful that it will yield the desired result,” he said.
Addressing media persons at the Secretariat, Mr. Naidu said the revised cost of the project stood at approximately ₹58,000 crore and the land acquisition and relief and rehabilitations cost accounted for about ₹28,000 crore.
The project work would, however, continue unhindered with the aim to complete by May 2019 or not later than a couple of months.
The CM said 57 projects were in different stages of construction and 12 were ready for inauguration this month. Tenders were set to be called for 12 projects and top priority was given to linking the Godavari and the Penna and the Vamsadhara and the Nagavali rivers.
Mr. Naidu asserted that the government had reached a position to balance the demand and supply of water i.e. ensure water security, even in case of a sizeable rainfall deficit, due to the emphasis on completion of the projects.
He said a good number of the projects were envisaged by former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao and he was privileged to complete them.
“By completing the irrigation projects as per schedule and harnessing rainfall and groundwater, we intend to supply water to 2 crore acres (1 crore each under agriculture and horticulture) and provide water to industries and drinking water on a sustained basis,” he said. Water Resources Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao and Secretary (irrigation) Sasibhushan Kumar were present.