-Galla S Kiran Kumar,Bureau Chief Telagana (Andhra Pradesh)
The Center has sanctioned an additional Rs.12,911.15 crore for Polavaram National Project. To this extent, the Union Finance Department has taken a decision and issued an order.
Central Finance Department’s green light note
to the Cabinet.. Soon the approval is the first step
to stop the water at a height of 41.15 meters, which is not mentioned in the orders.
Today, Amaravati: The Center has sanctioned an additional Rs.12,911.15 crore for Polavaram National Project. To this extent, the Union Finance Department has taken a decision and issued an order. The Central Water Power Department proposed a resolution before the Council of Ministers and suggested that it be approved. The Director of Expenditure Department in the Union Finance Department issued these orders on Monday. The Polavaram project dam should be constructed at a height of 45.72 meters to retain water. It is stated in the order that they are sanctioning the amount of funds required to maintain the water at a height of 41.15 meters. It is not mentioned anywhere in them that these funds are being given under the first phase, but there is a proposal to re-fund in the form of a third phase.
Although the state government had previously submitted proposals for Rs.10,911.15 crore to build the Polavaram project at a height of 41.15 meters, the Central Hydropower Department has asked for some more details. As a result, fresh calculations were made at the beginning of May this year. An estimate of funds required for repairing the diaphragm wall and filling the gaps in the main dam was also determined to be Rs.16,952.07 crores and submitted to the Polavaram Authority and the Central Hydropower Department. Rs.10,911.15 crores have been taken into account as per the old estimates. Apart from that, it is noteworthy that the Expenditure Control Department of the Central Finance Department has approved Rs.
Section-wise restriction lifted
The investment cost for the Polavaram project has been approved twice so far. 16,010.45 crore as per 2010-11 prices was approved for the first time.
* Later, as per the prices of 2013-14, Rs.20,398.81 crore was approved by the Union Finance Department and the Cabinet waved the green flag.
* At present the center is giving funds only considering the estimated prices. In this, the amount of funds is given according to which department has been approved under main dam, right canal, left canal, land acquisition and rehabilitation.
* If funding is completed up to the approved limit under a section.. Even if additional bills are submitted under that section, they are set aside as not approved in the DPR.
* According to the recently approved policy, the Central Finance Department has decided that such a limit will not be imposed on the additional Rs.12,911.15 crores. These additional funds are allowed to be spent in any department.
* Rs. The amount of 47,725.24 crores would have been approved by the Union Finance Department and approved by the Council of Ministers. The finance department did not approve that DPR which passed all the stages. It has approved Rs. 12,911.15 crores for the funds required to maintain the water level at the present level of 41.15 meters. The state government says that the project will be constructed at the level of 45.72 meters and the water level will be maintained at 41.15 meters first. It is said that these are the first phase funds. However, the Center has not mentioned the first step anywhere in its latest directives.
Funding is still needed for the initial phase of rehabilitation
The state government has reported to the Center that in order to maintain the water level of 41.15 meters in the Po Lavaram project, the land acquisition and rehabilitation will cost an additional Rs.5,127 crore over and above the amount calculated now. The state government said that if the water level is 41.15 meters in the first phase, another 36 villages and 16,642 families will be included in the list of displaced people in the first phase. In the latest estimates, those funds are also requested. Now the Center does not have that extra amount in the funds sanctioned to maintain the water level at 41.15 meters.
