There was an interesting banter in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council on Tuesday as who should take credit for the progress achieved so far on Polavaram irrigation project.
Major Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao said it was Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu who ensured that the Centre issued the ordinance on merger of seven submergence mandals before the appointed day thus paving way for its execution. Subsequently the ordinance was replaced by a Bill approved by Parliament.
Leader of Opposition C. Ramachandraiah promptly reminded him that it was Congress which got Polavaram included as national status project in the AP State Reorganisation Act.
Mr. Umamaheswara Rao said the government was determined to complete Rs.16,010 crore Polavaram project to be funded and executed by the Centre by June 2018. The State government had spent Rs.5,233 crore till now and it would be reimbursed by the Centre.
Of 222 submergence villages, relief and rehabilitation measures were completed in six villages, he said.
