Polavaram Project Gets Rs 12,157 Crore Funding From Centre, Set For March 2027 Completion

In a significant development, the central government has given its in-principle approval for the release of Rs 12,157 crore to expedite the completion of the long-pending Polavaram Irrigation Project in Andhra Pradesh.

The Polavaram Irrigation Project is a multipurpose project located on the river Godavari. This project aims to develop a total irrigation potential of 436,825 ha, generate 960 MW of hydropower, provision of drinking water to a population of 28.50 lakh in 611 villages, and diversion of 80 TMC of water to the Krishna river basin.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu welcomed the decision, stating that the allocation of Rs 12,157 crore in two tranches — Rs 6,000 crore for the financial year 2024-25 and the remaining Rs 6,157 crore for 2025-26 — will facilitate the rapid execution of the project, with a target completion date of March 2027.

"This is a major breakthrough in completing the Polavaram project, which has faced numerous delays over the decades. The NDA government in the State, with the backing of the Centre, will now fast-track the construction," added Naidu.

He also criticised the previous administration for the faulty construction that led to severe floods in the Godavari river in 2020, damaging the diaphragm wall.

"Our government will build a new diaphragm wall at an estimated cost of Rs 993 crore," he announced, reports The Hindu.

The Polavaram Irrigation Project has been designated a National Project under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.