Loss on expectations because of propaganda: Devineni Uma Maheshwara Rao, Former Minister
Because of the propaganda of the YSRCP government, there were losses in the estimates of the Polavaram project. The government is in a state of ignorance about Polavaram. The Centre had approved Rs 55,548 crore in DPR2. Nitin Gadkari, the then Water Resources Minister, who toured the Polavaram site had clarified the same point revealing how the 2013 Land Acquisition Act would be implemented.
The CM should be ashamed to write a letter to the Centre now, having ignored the project for the last one and half years. The YSRCP government admitted that though 71.02 per cent of the Polavaram works were completed during the TDP regime, not even one per cent of the work has been carried out since. We are not sad about losing the elections, people are upset after voting. Telugu Desam will take the responsibility of fighting on behalf of the displaced. We will stand by them until justice is done.
Will complete Polavaram if Rs 55,000 crore is sanctioned: Minister Anil Kumar
We are committed to completing Polavaram within the set target as soon as Rs 55,000 crore is sanctioned. The Union Finance Ministry raises a new issue whenever financial assistance is sought, as already 2200 crores were spent by the state government already on the project. The Polavaram project was declared a national project by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and hence the estimates will increase several times for project construction, over the years. The Minister also added that works to the tune of Rs 265 crore only were done from 2014 to 2016.
Why should we apologize for all the mistakes committed by the TDP? Chandrababu’s tour of Delhi 72 times for Polavaram, was only to get commissions. People have understood who should apologize to whom. We are not ready to take up work. We will continue to fight.
The Centre has the responsibility to complete the Polavaram project. Our irrigation officials are going to Delhi. AP CM Jagan would write letters to seniors in the Centre. R&R package should be given to lakh families. We will request the Centre to give funds as per the estimates given by the CWC. It is a different matter whether the project will be completed by the state or by the Centre. The Polavaram Project Authority will meet during the week. Officials will attend the meeting. Lakhs of displaced families are more important than constructing a dam.
