Andhra CM meets Modi; seeks Rs 10,000 crore ad-hock fund for Polavaram project

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi here and sought Rs 10,000 crore on an ad-hoc basis to expedite the Polavaram Irrigation Project on the Godavari river.

Later, the chief minister also paid a courtesy visit to President Droupadi Murmu. In his 40-minute meeting with Modi, the CM said the ''lack'' of funds was delaying the completion of the Polavaram project and requested him to approve the revised cost estimate of Rs 55,548.87 crore, an official statement said.

He also demanded the Centre reimburse Rs 2,900 crore spent by the state government on the Project and requested the PM to clear the bills fortnightly like in other national projects and not component-wise. Further, the chief minister, who was on a two-day visit to Delhi, requested the PM to sanction, ''Rs 10,000 crore on an ad-hoc basis so that the construction works of the project can proceed smoothly.'' He also appealed to the PM to provide relief and rehabilitation to people affected by the project.

The initially estimated cost for the project, which aims to irrigate 2.91 lakh hectares of land, generate 960 megawatts of power, and fulfill the water needs of industries and 540 villages in Andhra Pradesh, was Rs 35,000 crore.

Also, the CM sought the release of Rs 32,625 crore under the Resource Gap Fund for various pending bills under the pay commission, including social security pensions and others during the period 2014-15.

The chief minister also said at present 2.68 crore people are covered under the public distribution system (PDS). He said the PDS coverage currently is 61 percent in rural areas and 41 percent in urban areas which should be raised to 75 and 50 respectively.

He said the state government is already providing rations to additional 56 lakh eligible beneficiaries shouldering a burden of Rs 5,527.63 crore. The chief minister also reiterated that the Centre should fulfill the promises made during the state bifurcation and grant special status to Andhra Pradesh. He also flagged that Rs 6,756 crore payable by the Telangana government to Andhra Pradesh Generation Corporation Limited (APGENCO) remain unpaid for over eight years.

Among other issues, the CM also sought approval for setting up 12 medical colleges, an integrated steel plant in the YSR district, and Bhogapuram airport in the Vizianagaram district. He also met Power Minister R K Singh before leaving the national capital.