Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has written to the Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari demanding that the Centre immediately reimburse ₹3,722 crore spent by the State government on the Polavaram project.

He also wanted the Centre to expedite approval of the revised cost estimates of the Polavaram project, submitted to the Central Water Commission in August 2017.

Gadkari’s assertion

In the letter on Monday, Naidu wrote even as the Union Minister spoke at a BJP workers’ conference here asserting that the Centre would spend “100 per cent” money on Polavaram.

The Chief Minister said ₹10,459 crore was spent after Polavaram was declared a national project in June 2014. Of this, the Centre reimbursed ₹6,727 crore, with the last tranche coming in June 2018.

“The Centre is yet to reimburse ₹3,722 crore spent by the State. The State government is providing required funds from its available meagre resources for the project so that the progress of ongoing works is not hampered. This is affecting the implementation of other flagship programmes of the State government severely,” Naidu said. He also said reimbursement of expenditure was linked to the approval of revised cost estimates.

Delay feared

“Any further delay in approval of revised cost estimates will delay the reimbursement, which in turn will affect the project, including land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement,” he added.

Naidu recalled the Union Minister’s promise, made during the latter’s visit to the project site, on timely release of funds so as to complete it by February 2019.

“I wish to remind you that unless funds due to us are reimbursed immediately, the country is likely to lose a golden opportunity to complete a national project that is benefiting five states directly,” he said.

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