As per the AP Reorganisation Act, the Polavaram irrigation project on Godavari river was declared as a national project and it is the responsibility of the Centre to take up and complete the project.
While announcing the special package in lieu of special category status, the Centre also agreed to provide 100 per cent funding to the project.
However, under pressure from Telugu Desam Party president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the project was handed over to the state to oversee execution.
There were allegations that Naidu had taken up the responsibility of the project only for the sake of kickbacks from the contractors and escalated the project cost abnormally to benefit the contractors.
Now, the situation has become reverse. YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister-designate Y S Jaganmohan Reddy is likely to get rid of the Polavaram burden and give it back to the centre for monitoring and execution of the project.
“It is the responsibility of the Centre to complete the project as per the deadline. If there is any cost escalation, the Centre has to bear the cost. All that we want is to see that the project is completed,” Jagan is learnt to have told the offcials.
Jagan told media in New Delhi that he would order a probe if there were any irregularities in the implementation of the project.
“If there is a need to involve the central government to call for reverse tenders (for the Polavaram project), that will also be done. We do not mind. All I want is that the Polavaram project should be completed in a time-bound manner,” he said.
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