Polavaram Project Only After 160 Years

The Union Government of India has allotted Rs. 100 crore for the Polavaram project of Andhra Pradesh, in its budget 2015-16. Polavaram Project was considered as lifeline of the residuary state of AP at the time of AP Reorganisation. The project cost was estimated at more than Rs. 16000 crore as per the approvals sent to the Planning Commission by the previous UPA Government. Just try to calculate the time that will take to complete this much need project for Andhra Pradesh.

Here is simple calculation based on the present budget allocation:
1) Rs. 100 crores per year: 160 years
2) Rs. 200 crores per year: 80 years
3) Rs. 500 crores per year (a distant dream): 32 years
4) Rs. 1000 crores per year (an impossible): 16 years.

If the project estimates are revised after every 10 years, the time also expands accordingly. We can not guess the time of completion in that case. According to the AP Reorganisation Act 2014, the entire Polavaram project will be taken up by the Government of India. The Act says that:

1) The Polavaram Irrigation Project is hereby declared to be a national project.
2) It is hereby declared that it is expedient in the public interest that the Union should take under its control the regulation and development of the Polavaram Irrigation Project for the purposes of irrigation.
3) The Central Government shall execute the project in consultation with the Governments of the two successor States following all environmental, forests, and rehabilitation and resettlement norms.

So, the Polavaram project is most likely to be completed only after 160 years if the pace of the funds allotments are in the similar lines of the present budget allocation. The TDP, although being a part of the NDA Government has miserably failed in getting the funds for the project. God Save AP!