YSR Congress president and Leader of Opposition, Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expedite the Polavaram project to allay fears among the farmers in the State over its completion.
Speaking to the media after meeting Mr. Modi, along with seven party MPs, in New Delhi, he said that the people of the State feared that Polavaram project would be put in cold storage with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu taking up the Pattisema lift irrigation project. He criticised the award of contract for the Pattiseema project in excess of 21.9 per cent of the actual bid and added that such irregularity was unprecedented.
He further said that the delegation also brought to the notice of the Prime Minister about Clauses 7 (e) and 7 (f) of the Godavari River Waters Dispute Tribunal which says that upper riparian States of Maharashtra and Karnataka can stop releasing 35 tmcft water to Andhra Pradesh and also stake claim on the Krishna waters, once the Polavaram project gets approval from the Central Water Commission (CWC).
He said the YSR Congress leaders also urged the Prime Minister to reject the Shanta Kumar Committee report on restructuring of the Food Corporation of India (FCI), which discourages the latter from procuring paddy from farmers.
The YSRC delegation reminded Mr. Modi the points raised earlier such as the construction of new capital city, special category status for the State and special railway zone and other issues.
