Finish Polavaram phase-1 by next June: Shekhawat

Vijayawada: Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat took stock of the Polavaram project progress with senior officials in the ministry, Central Water Commission (CWC), Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) and AP irrigation department in New Delhi on Thursday.The minister has set June 2024 as deadline for the completion of the first phase of the project. The minister also asked the officials to complete the project by June, 2025. AP wanted to complete the project before June, 2024. However, the works got delayed following damage to diaphragm wall. The minister sought several clarifications from officials about the state government’s request for release of advance grant of Rs.17,414 crore to complete the project to the level of 41.5 meters.Expressing satisfaction with the progress of works, Shekhawat directed the officials to ready proposals to recommend the state government’s proposal to the finance ministry. When the AP officials told the minister that designs for the diaphragm wall were pending with the CWC, the minister directed the officials to immediately clear the designs to launch the works.Earlier, chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held discussions with Shekhawat and urged him to clear the state government’s proposal for release of advance grant.During a high-level review on Thursday, Shekhawat, however, wanted the AP government to complete the project first phase work by June, 2024. He asked the government to complete Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) works on war- footing in order to complete the project works. He said that R&R should be completed ahead of the water storage in the project.He observed that oustees should not be neglected in a hurry to complete concrete works. He asked the PPA to monitor the R&R works and report the updated progress to the ministry from time to time. “We will take the AP’s request for release of adhoc grant to the tune of Rs.17414 crore to the next cabinet and seek its approval,” Shekhawat reported to have told at the meeting.Speaking to the media after the review, AP engineer-in-chief (ENC) irrigation, C Narayana Reddy said they were hopeful of the Centre releasing the advance grant of Rs.17,414 crore as requested by the state government.“The Centre wanted us to complete the first phase by June, 2024 to which we have agreed to expedite the works. We could complete the project works depending on the financial assistance to be extended by the Centre,” said Narayana Reddy.He said that the Union minister Shekhawat’s response was very positive and encouraging. “The minister reviewed six issues including approval of Revised Cost Estimates (RCE). R&R for first phase, release of adhoc grant and deadlines for the completion of first phase. The minister asked the officials to ready the proposals immediately,” said Narayana Reddy. Union Jal Shakti ministry secretary Pankaj Kumar, PPA CEO Shiv Nandan Kumar and other senior officials were present.