‘Polavaram will be completed by 2021’.

Water Resources Minister P. Anil Kumar said the Polavaram project was poised for completion by 2021 and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was personally monitoring its progress to meet the deadline. Addressing the media at the project site in West Godavari on Sunday, Mr. Anil Kumar said work was going on at a brisk pace and strict guidelines were issued to the officials to follow the time line.

He observed that the previous government had failed to implement the R&R package and it had since been decided to construct around 18,000 houses for the people who faced displacement. A Central team had visited the project and issued a positive report, he said. The Minister said a sum of ₹5,000 crore was to be given by the Centre through NABARD for the project but only ₹1,800 crore had been released till date. Mr. Anil Kumar said the TDP government had completed only spillway works. Of the total estimated cost of ₹55,000 crore, the TDP government had spent ₹17,000 crore, but claimed to have completed 75% of the works.

The right canal works were completed during Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s rule, he said.

THE HINDU