-Galla S Kiran Kumar,Bureau Chief Telagana (Andhra Pradesh)
According to the latest deadline, the Polavaram project is to be completed by March 2024 and the distribution network by June 2024.
Bills of Rs.2,390 crore not eligible for payment
78.99% complete as of last October
Union Minister Bisweshwar Tudu revealed
Today, Delhi: As per the latest deadline, the Polavaram project is to be completed by March 2024 and the distribution network by June 2024. However, in view of the heavy floods in the Godavari river in 2020 and 2022, there is a possibility of some delay in the proposed schedule,” said Bisweshwar Tudu, Union Minister of State for Hydropower. He made it clear that the Polavaram Project Authority has recognized that Rs.13,226 crores have been paid for this project till now. To this extent, the Minister replied to a written question asked by TDP MP Kanakamedala Ravindrakumar in the Rajya Sabha on Monday about the delay in the payment of the expenses incurred for the construction of the project. “Since April 1, 2014, the central government has been reimbursing all the eligible expenses incurred by the government of Andhra Pradesh for this project from time to time. We are paying the bills as soon as Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) and Central Water Society have examined and approved them. The AP government said that Rs 16,035.88 crore has been spent on this project from April 2014 to December 2022. Out of which, excluding the amount allocated to PPA so far, the central government has released Rs.13,226.04 crore eligible for payment so far. The PPA said it is not entitled to refund of Rs 2,390.97 crore. Apart from these, bills of Rs.548.38 crores have come up for scrutiny by the authority. Reimbursement of expenditure during the rest of this financial year will depend on the bills submitted by the Andhra Pradesh government, PPA and recommendations made by the Central Water Society. The construction of spillway, upper coffer dam, concrete dam (Gap-3), earth cum rock fill dam diaphragm wall (Gap-1) has been completed in the project.
Funding for construction of hydropower project
Union Hydropower Minister Gajendra Singh Shekawat said that the Po Lavaram hydropower project is being constructed by AP Genco and according to the prices of 2016-17, it will cost Rs.5,338.95 crore. But he clarified that the central government will not give any grant for this. He replied to a question asked by Vaikapa member Vijayasai Reddy in Rajya Sabha. AP Genco is constructing a 960 MW hydropower project as part of the Polavaram project. Genco said that so far the earth excavation work for the foundation of this project has been completed. The aim is to complete its construction by January 2026, said the minister.
