Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Rattan Lal Kataria on Monday said the Centre was waiting for the report of the Vigilance and Enforcement Department of the State government on alleged excess payments made to Polavaram project contractors by the Telugu Desam government.
Answering an unstarred question posed by YSR Congress Party member V. Vijaya Sai Reddy in the Rajya Sabha, Mr. Kataria said payments to former contractor Transtroy were all granted by the “competent authority.”
Break-up
An expert committee constituted by the Jagan Mohan Reddy government has reported excess payment to the tune of ₹2,346.85 crore.
The Union Minister in his reply gave the break-up of the excess amount as reported by the expert committee as revision of agreement rates with 2015-16 SSR as ₹1,331 crore, interest on mobilisation advance ₹84.43 crore, paid through imprest ₹144.22 crore and advance paid before handing over of the hydro-electric project ₹787.20 crore. Though the MP asked if there was any irregularity in payments, the Minister evaded an answer saying a decision could be made only after the Vigilance report was submitted.
The competent authority for the project has to be a Central agency as the Union government was constructing the project in line with the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act.
