Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has asked officials to find ways to expedite reimbursement of ₹3,161.65 crore spent on the Polavaram Project from the Centre.
Conducting the weekly review and virtual inspection of the Polavaram Project from here on Monday, he said that the State government had spent ₹9,888.91 crore on the project after it was declared a National Project for which the expenditure should be met entirely by the Centre.
The State government was reimbursed just ₹6,727.26 crore through the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) and a little over ₹3,000 crore was still due.
The Chief Minister said that the officials should speed up the works as the project was reaching visible development stage.
Principal Secretary of Water Resources Shasibhushan Kumar said that 60.66% of project works had been completed so far, including 48.85% head works (at the dam site), 90% right main canal and 65.30% left main canal works.
Water Resources Department officials said that 11 designs were pending with the Central Water Commission (CWC), including the designs of four bits of the spillway and spill channel, four bits of the Earth Cum Rock Filled (ECRF) Dam and three designs of the radial gates. The Chief Minister directed the officials to make efforts for clearance of the designs for speedy completion of the project works.
He asked the Joint Collectors of East and West Godavari districts to speed up relief and rehabilitation and land acquisition works.
The Chief Minister directed the officials to complete the cofferdam works by May 15, 2019.
‘Expand micro irrigation’
Mr. Naidu asked the micro irrigation companies to carry out research and development to introduce micro irrigation in paddy cultivation.
He said micro irrigation should be integrated with Zero Budget Natural Farming and stressed the need for bringing traceability to horticulture products.
Addressing a review meeting on micro irrigation, the Chief Minister set a target to bring additional 3.5 lakh hectares under micro irrigation this year and five lakh hectares from next year.
Drip irrigation
Mr. Shasibhushan Kumar said they were planning to introduce drip irrigation in 40,000 acres falling under 25 small lift irrigation schemes.
Minister for Agriculture Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, Commissioner of Horticulture Chiranjeevi Chowdary and Chief Executive Officers of micro irrigation companies were present.