The Andhra Pradesh governmenton Thursday released Rs 1,962 crore for various works related to the Polavaram multipurpose project, even as the state was awaiting disbursal of over Rs 3,000 crore by the Centre.Of the total sum released on Thursday, over Rs 1,252 crore would be utilised on the Polavaram main dam and related works.Another Rs 600 crore would be spent on rehabilitation and resettlement of the project displaced families, while Rs 110 crore would be spent on the Polavaram right and left main canals and distributaries.Polavaram has been declared as a national project as per the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 and the central government has agreed to bear the entire cost of over Rs 54,000 crore, including the rehabilitation and resettlement works.As the project executioner, the state government spends money from its budget and the Centre later reimburses it.The Union government still has to reimburse over Rs 3,000 crore, already spent by the state on the project."Our focus mainly is now on R and R and we will be stepping up those works. Simultaneously, the other works of the project will also gain pace," a top official of the Water Resources Department said.The ongoing lockdown has affected the Polavaram works due to non-availability of steel and cement.The supplies have started again after the lockdown restrictions were eased.Though the original plan was to complete the project spillway works by June, the impact of lockdown could delay it further, the official said.Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy who reviewed the Polavaram works on Wednesday, asked the officials to try to complete the spillway works by June.As the heavy flood in river Godavari left many villages in the region inundated for several days last year, the Chief Minister wanted the Water Resources Department to step up the R and R works and relocate the project-affected families to prevent inundation in future.
