All states is needed to make water a Central List subject in the Constitution: Naidu
NEW DELHI :The Andhra Pradesh Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said that though the idea of a single tribunal to sort out inter-state water disputes is a good idea, the Union Government should ensure consensus among all states before considering putting water in the Central List of the Constitution.
In an informal interaction with a group of visiting journalists from Delhi, Hyderabad and other parts of the newly formed state of Andhra Pradradesh after the concrete laying ceremony of the National Polavaram multipurpose project, Mr. Babu said his government has received a written communication from the Union Water Resources Development Ministry both on the issue related to a single tribunal as well as the issue of considering putting water in the central list.
“We will respond appropriately to the concerned authorities. My person opinion is consensus on a sensitive subject like water is necessary before taking any steps. There are so many related issues on water like inter-linking of rivers, crowd sourcing, power plants, transmission and transmission losses. They need to be look at in a composite and comprehensive manner”, he said.
Answering a question Mr. Babu said Polavaram was a significant project not only for the state of Andhra Pradesh and in the long run for the country. “This year we had a deficit of 27 per cent rainfall. Thanks to the partial commissioning of the Polavaram project in March 2015 we were able to bridge the gap and limit the damage to the state farmers.”
The Chief Minister said that the since Polavaram is a National Project and the Union Government is committed to 100 per cent funding of the project, he does not envisage any problem on that count.
Blaming the previous Congress Government for the delay in making the Polavaram fully operational, Mr. Babu said his government is committed to complete the project by 2019. Mr. Naidu said that the construction of the project led to the submergence of 262 villages and displaced guravutayani and the farmers will be compensated as per the law.
In response to another question on the objections raised by the state of Chattisgarh and Odisha on the Polavaram project the Chief Minister said that he is in touch with his counterparts in both the states and was confident that the issues would be sorted out amicably.
On Tuesday the state of Andhra Pradesh got Rs.1,981.54 crore from NABARD towards Polavaram Project at a function in New Delhi.The Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu received the cheque from Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at a function in New Delhi.
Speaking on the occasion Mr. Naidu thanked the Centre for extending financial assistance of Rs.1,981.54 crore for the multi-purpose Polavaram project after receiving a cheque from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. He said the project will provide irrigation facilities to over 7.20 lakh acres. It also provides for diversion of 80 TMC of Godavari water to Krishna river and 23.44 TMC of Godavari water for industries in and around Visakhapatnam.
He said works are going on war-footing to complete the project by 2018. He said Polavaram is the biggest project of the country in the near future. He said It is his life’s ambition and life line for the state.
He suggested construction of reservoirs to store flood waters which are going to the sea.
The step will also mitigate the problems arising out of droughts. He invited Central Leaders to be present at the launch of spillway concrete works on December 30. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Jaitley said the Centre is giving top priority to irrigation projects. He said, if anyone invests in manufacturing and other sectors, the returns are visible after a long period, but in the case of irrigation projects, the results start showing in the next season.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley hoped that now, the people of the Andhra Pradesh will have a sense of trust. Water Resources Minister Ms. Uma Bharati praised Chandra Babu Naidu for his active involvement and supervision of the works in the Polavaram project. She described the financial transactions through NABARD a revolutionary step in the country’s history.
Urban Development Minister M Venkiah Naidu recalled that the foundation stone for the Polavaram project was laid in 1982. He said the NDA government declared Polavaram project as a national project.
