Union minister Nails AP Govt on Polavaram

Union minister for Water Resources Nithin Gadkari nailed Andhra Pradesh government for the protracted delay in the completion of works at the Polavaram project.  The Government said that the contractors and sub -contractors stalled works on the pretext of the delay in the payments.  

AP Irrigation minister Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao  met the union minsiter and discussed the issue of release of central funds to the project. Nithin angered on the state government for escalating the estimations and also stallign the works. 

The minister instructed the AP to release required funds to the sub contractors directly through escrow accounts. He turned down the AP government's  plea to scrap the contract agreement entered with Transstroy company. It may be mentioned here that  AB Pandya and Masood committee brought to light the changes in the project designs without centre's approval and also escalated the project cost.  

The minister was awestruck at the steep increase of the estimations of the land acquirement from Rs  2934 crore to Rs 33,858 crore.  He instructed the AP government to prepare estimations for land acquisition and rehabilitation separately.  Nithin also suggested AP minister to meet Finance minister Arun Jaitely for more funds under polavaram project.  He made it clear that he was not the authority in the release of funds.