Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Sept 10: Rejecting BJD’s allegation that the Centre illegally allocated funds to Andhra Pradesh for Polavaram irrigation project, Union minister Venkaiah Naidu Saturday said that the entire money was sanctioned as per the law.
“We have allocated fund for construction work of the project as per the Act. The Supreme Court has not said the Centre cannot allocate fund for the project. We are also respecting all orders of the court and implementing it,” Naidu said here Saturday. However, BJD spokesperson PK Deb targeted the Centre for funding Polavaram project. “The Centre has accorded environmental clearance without consulting Orissa and without holding public hearing in the state. It is a violation of the law. The statement of the Union minister is wrong and unfortunate,” he said.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik held a meeting with BJD leaders of south Orissa at Naveen Niwas to chalk out strategy to take on the Andhra Pradesh government and Centre on the issue. The party has decided to continue its fight against Centre and Andhra government over Polavaram project and it will announce its action plan Sunday here at a press conference, BJD spokesperson Rabinarayan Nanda said.
The party has also decided to stage protest against the two governments starting from Raj Bhawan to panchayat and village level, BJD leaders said.
Last Wednesday, Union finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said that the Centre will bear all expenses towards the construction of Polavaram project on Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh. He stated the Centre will bear the expenses of the project with effect from April 1, 2014, when it was declared as a national project.
However, the Andhra Pradesh will undertake the construction work of the Polavaram project, he had added.