Vijayawada: In a letter to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Congress MP K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao has alleged that Naidu deceived people of AP State on Polavaram funds, by taking Polavaram construction into his hand, for political benefits.
He stated that AP Re-organisation Act, 2014 mandates that the Central Government shall take over the Polavaram Project and complete it on expedient public interest. The Congress MP alleged that Naidu helped the contractors by paying variation charges from the year 2013, resulting in Rs 30,000 crores as burden for AP exchequer.
Mr Ramachandra Rao said that the then UPA Cabinet had also taken a decision that an Exclusive Authority (Special Purpose Vehicle) shall be constituted for the construction of Polavaram and also, entire cost escalation on the project due to cost and time overruns and also, the new Land Acquisition Act shall be borne by the Central Government.
He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Naidu both deceived AP People and the Central Government renounced the responsibility over the project reconstruction, agreeing to Mr Naidu’s requests and put several conditions on the expenditure of the project.
Mr Rao said that in a recent meeting of the Advisory Committee of Water Resources in February, the Committee approved the project cost of Rs 55,549 crore at the 2017-2018 price-level. He stated that in the same meeting, the Advisory Committee also approved the estimates of Polavaram, at the 2013-14 price-level, at Rs 27,082 crore.
He lamented that now, according to the Central Government’s decision, the Centre will only bear the price at the 2013-14 level and the difference in price- Rs 28,467 crore has to be borne by the AP Government.
Mr Ramachandra Rao alleged that Mr Naidu also issued GO 22 and GO 67 to help the contractors and spent several crores of rupees in the name of site visit of people, foundation and inauguration of several gates and pillars of head works and also Gallery Walk, family trip etc., giving an additional burden to the tune of Rs 30,000 crore to the State.
The Congress MP claimed that due to the greed of Mr Naidu, now AP was burdened with Rs 30,000 crore and also, AP is compelled to bear the entire expenditure of Polavaram initially and later, seek the funds from the Central Government and wait for their mercy.
He said that the Congress-led UPA Government had taken every precaution to safeguard the interests of AP’s people after bifurcation. He stated that the Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi, will not allow AP to lose further and it will assure that every provision of the AP Reorganisation Act will be implemented.
He urged Mr Naidu to ask an open apology to the people of AP for the loss that occurred to them in Polavaram, due to his selfish attitude.
Mr Ramachandra Rao further demanded Mr Naidu to immediately ask the officials concerned to file a counter to the PIL filed in AP High Court, requesting to issue an order directing the Central Government to bear the entire cost of Polavaram Project, without any conditions.
