Chinta seeks CBI probe into ‘fund misuse’ in Polavaram

Alleges only half of the allocated funds were spent

Congress leader Chinta Mohan addressing the media in Kurnool on Friday.

Former Union Minister Chinta Mohan on Friday demanded a CBI inquiry into alleged misuse of ₹12,000 crore for Polavaram project.

Alleging rampant misuse of the Central funds allotted to Polavaram project, he maintained that that only half of the allocated funds were spent on project and the remaining half went for paying kickbacks.

The project was originally conceived as Sri Ramapada Sagar by AICC general secretary Sonti Ramamurthy in 1953 with an estimate of ₹200 crore, he told the media in Kurnool.

Flaying the TDP government for frequently changing the project designs, Mr. Mohan said while Polavaram project was estimated to cost ₹10,000 crore, only 50% of the works were completed by spending ₹12,000 crore.

Foreign jaunts

While the project engineers lacked basic amenities at the site, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was directly holding discussions with the contractor and sub-contractors, he alleged. He questioned the purpose of the frequent foreign jaunts by Mr. Naidu.

The former Minister accused Opposition leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of hobnobbing with the BJP. As Mr. Jagan was pally with the Centre, it was starving State of funds, he alleged. Mr. Jagan, who amassed wealth should not be allowed to become Chief Minister, Mr. Mohan said.

Accusing the YSRCP president of showering promises that required more than ₹1 lakh crore to fulfil, including the irrational promise of giving pension to 45-year-olds, he remarked that Mr. Jagan should stage padayatra for physical fitness and not for gaining power, he said.

Asserting that he was heading a movement for social justice as it was elusive to the downtrodden and weaker sections in the last seven decades after independence, Mr. Mohan said that mostly leaders of two communities became Chief Ministers in the State. On the contrary, other States were being governed by the downtrodden and weaker sections.

He said he would strive for making a Kapu or OBC leader as Chief Minister and was looking for a honest, sincere and committed leader.

Social justice would ensure political and economic equality, he added.

Kurnool DCC vice-president Ashoka Ratnam, Kapu, Balija, Telaga and Ontari Association leader Yerramsetty Narayana Reddy, Damodaram Radhakrishna, E. Bhupal and P. Kranthu Kumar were present.