Andhra Pradesh: Centre will complete Polavaram project if State gives up, says Veerraju

State government seeking funds without completing the works, alleges the BJP leader

The Union government will complete the Polavaram multipurpose irrigation project if the State government throws up its hand and asks us to execute the remaining works, says BJP State president Somu Veerraju.

Addressing the media here on Friday, Mr. Somu Veerraju, while reacting to Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s demand for ₹6,000 crore to complete the project, said, “The State is asking for an advance without completing the works, and it is up to the Polavaram Project Authority and the CWC to look into the progress.”

The TDP government had taken upon itself the task of executing the national project as it longed for commissions and changed the contractor, Mr. Veerraju alleged.

He further alleged that the YSRCP government was diverting the funds released for various schemes and changed the Polavaram contractor again for commissions. “Let the State government ask us to complete the project, we will do it and show our dedication,” the BJP leader said.

He, however, refused to answer the query on why the BJP did not stop the TDP government from resorting to alleged corrupt practices in executing the national project even as two of its MLAs were in the Cabinet then.

The Chief Minister had asked the Water Resources Department to mobilise ₹6,000 crore from the Centre on an adhoc basis for expediting the construction of the project. This was over and above the ₹2,900 crore that the Centre owed to the State towards reimbursement of the expenditure incurred by it on the project.

Mr. Veerraju said a six-day ‘Jana Jagruthi Yatra’ was launched from the Sri Venkateswara temple in the city for taking up all issues related to the farmers and alleged lack of development.