Lok Sabha Question No. 20 (STARRED), answered on 2023-02-02
Subject: Polavaram Irrigation Project
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Geetha Viswanath Vanga

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. *20

ANSWERED ON 02.02.2023

## POLAVARAM IRRIGATION PROJECT

## *20 SHRIMATI VANGA GEETHA VISWANATH

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  there  have  been  any  delay  in  the  clearance(s)  of  Land  Acquisition/Resettlement  & Rehabilitation (LA/R&R) bills for Polavaram Irrigation Project;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons for the same;
- (c) whether the Government has received any request for processing of LA/R&R bills for Polavaram Irrigation Project under Direct Benefit Transfer to avoid delay in reimbursement; and
- (d) if so, the steps taken in response to such requests?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI

(SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a) to (d) : A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO (a) TO (d) OF STARRED QUESTION No. *20  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA ON  02.02.2023  REGARDING  'POLAVARAM IRRIGATION PROJECT' BY SHRIMATI VANGA GEETHA VISWANATH

(a)  &  (b) Funding  for  Polavaram  Irrigation  Project  (PIP)  is  being  undertaken  in  line  with  the Ministry  of  Finance  Office  Memorandum  (OM)  dated  30.09.2016.  The  said  OM  mandates Government of India to provide 100% of the remaining cost of the irrigation component only of the project for the period starting from 01.04.2014 to the extent of the cost of the irrigation component on that date.

Government  of  India  has  been  reimbursing,  from  time  to  time,  the  eligible  expenditure incurred by the Government of Andhra Pradesh (GoAP) on the project with effect from 01.04.2014. The  reimbursement  includes  the  eligible  expenditure  incurred  on  land  acquisition  as  well  as resettlement  and  rehabilitation  (R&R).  The  reimbursement  is  being  done  upon  receipt  of  verified bills  and  recommendations  from  the  Polavaram  Project  Authority  (PPA)  and  Central  Water Commission (CWC).

GoAP has  submitted  bills  for  reimbursement  of  Rs.3,779.5  crore  during  the  period  April 2014 to December, 2022 towards land acquisition. Against this, Government of India has till date reimbursed  Rs.3,431.59  crore.  Similarly,  against  submission  of  bills  for  reimbursement  of  Rs. 2,267.29 crore by GoAP on R&R during the period April 2014 to December, 2022, Government of India has till date reimbursed Rs. 2,110.23 crore.

There is no delay in reimbursement of eligible expenditure incurred by GoAP on the project by Government of India, including expenditure on land acquisition as well as R&R, beyond the time taken for seeking requisite approvals.

(c)  &  (d) In  April,  2022,  GoAP  had  requested  this  Ministry  for  direct  benefit  transfer  by Government of India to the project displaced families of Polavaram irrigation project. However, this suggestion  has  not  been  viewed  to  be  in  consonance  with  the  approval  by  Government  of  India regarding implementation of the project by the State Government.

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