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Centre to bear Polavaram project costs: Shekhawat
Speaking on this occasion, the Union minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already assured to work with the state government in the completion of the Polavaram project, which was declared a national project.
Hyderabad
Union Jal Sakthi Minister Gajendra Singh Shekawat on Friday assured that the Centre would take up the responsibility of completing the Polavaram major irrigation project being built on the Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh’s West Godavari district at the earliest.
Shekawat, who visited the project site along with chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and other officials, reviewed the progress of the works with the officials of the state irrigation department and Polavaram Project Authority under the Union ministry.
Speaking on this occasion, the Union minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already assured to work with the state government in the completion of the Polavaram project, which was declared a national project.
“The entire construction cost would be borne by the Centre. Along with the state government, the Centre is also working in good faith to complete the first phase of the project within a year,” he said and added that justice will be done to the displaced families by accommodating them in resettlement colonies.
The Union minister, who visited the model rehabilitation settlement at Indukuru village of Devipatnam block in East Godavari district, expressed satisfaction over the infrastructure facilities in the colony.
He said there was a need to provide employment opportunities and livelihood training in these rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) colonies. The authorities have to be considerate in providing facilities to the displaced families until they get settled in the new place, he said.
The Union minister and the chief minister interacted with the relocated families and directed that the R&R officials pay more attention to rehabilitation works.
Jagan said the state government was committed to the promise of paying an additional amount of ₹3 lakh, apart from ₹6.8 lakh being provided by the Centre. He also promised to extend ₹3.5 lakh to those families who had initially given their lands for ₹1.5 lakh during YS Rajashekar Reddy regime in 2006.
Besides these, the chief minister said livelihood training and employment programmes will also be taken up in the R&R colonies to improve employment opportunities here.
