Putting Special Category Status aside, the most important project for Andhra Pradesh and the well-being of the State’s younger generations is undoubtedly Polavaram. That is why it is referred to as the ‘Lifeline of AP’.
When Polavaram was given national status, automatically, the responsibility for executing the entire project fell on the Central government’s shoulders.
For cash-strapped Andhra Pradesh, this would have been nothing short of a miracle as the State would not need to eke out even a single penny from its coffers or such a mammoth project including rehabilitation of the displaced people.
But Chandrababu Naidu insisted on the State government executing the works and the Central government funding the same.
When Naidu put forward this proposal, the TDP as on good terms with the BJP and the latter accepted.
Now, both the parties are not seeing eye- to-eye and the Centre is questioning the bills produced by Naidu.
In 2017, the state government had submitted the revised cost estimate of Rs 54,119-crore for the Polavaram project to the Centre. The earlier estimate as per 2010-11 price level put the cost at around Rs 16,000 crore.
Naturally, the Centre was pissed off at the cost escalation by 300%. However, had it been in charge of executing the project, it would have taken care of everything.
Why, oh, why did you take up the headache of executing Polavaram Naidu? Two possible reasons:
Executing Polavaram with Central funds, Naidu wanted to go down in history as a saviour for the Andhras.
Massive kickbacks from awarding the contract works
Whatever may have been his reason, it is the State that is now paying the price.
