Over 1 lakh people to be affected by Polavaram project: Balyan

Over one lakh people are affected by the Polavaram project and their rehabilitation was being envisaged, government said in Rajya Sabha today.
During the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sanjeev Balyan said that rehabilitation of these people was being envisaged as part of the project.
The minister said the estimated cost of the Polavaram irrigation project was Rs 16010.45 crore at the 2010-11 price level and the Centre would sanction funds as per the 2014-15 cost estimates.
Following a nod by the NITI Aayog, the Andhra Pradesh government was working to ensure speedy and effective implementation of the project.

He said that the pace of the project had not slackened and the state chief minister was measuring the progress on a weekly basis.
Responding to concerns raised by some members from Odisha, Balyan said the Andhra Pradesh government would construct the embankment of the project for which the Centre would provide the funding.

He said the AP government had not submitted the revised estimated cost of the project at price level 2014-15.
Earlier some opposition members including Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had sought to know whether the government had transferred its authority for the implementation of the project to the state government.

Balyan said that the state government was working on the project keeping in view the need for effective execution.
Responding to opposition members' questions, he said that no amendment in the existing legislation was required in this regard.