Andhra Pradesh gets Rs.1,981.54 crore for Polavaram Project

New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandra Babu Naidu has thanked the Centre for extending financial assistance of Rs.1,981.54 crore for the multi-purpose Polavaram project after receiving a cheque from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at a function in New Delhi today.

Polavaram in Andhra Pradesh was declared as a National Project. CM Naidu said the project will provide irrigation facilities to over 7.20 lakh acres. It also provides for diversion of 80 TMC of Godavari water to Krishna river and 23.44 TMC of Godavari water for industries in and around Visakhapatnam.

CM said works are going on war-footing to complete the project by 2018. He said Polavaram is the biggest project of the country in the near future. He said it is his life’s ambition and life line for the state.

CM Naidu said that the NDA government is going on a big way for linking of rivers in the country, conceptualized by former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee. He suggested construction of reservoirs to store flood waters which are going to the sea. The step will also mitigate the problems arising out of droughts. He invited central leaders to be present at the launch of spillway concrete works on December 30.

Speaking on the occasion, Finance Minister Jaitley said that the Centre is giving top priority to irrigation projects. He said, if anyone invests in manufacturing and other sectors, the returns are visible after a long period, but in the case of irrigation projects, the results start showing in the next season. Finance Minister said, after bifurcation, doubts were expressed that the state is being discriminated due to economic problems. He said the Centre has fulfilled its commitments made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act of 2014. He hoped that now, the people of the Andhra Pradesh will have a sense of trust.

Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati praised Chandra Babu Naidu for his active involvement and supervision of the works in the Polavaram project. She described the financial transactions through NABARD a revolutionary step in the country’s history.

Urban Development Minister M Venkiah Naidu recalled that the foundation stone for the Polavaram project was laid in 1982. He said the NDA government declared Polavaram project as a national project.