AP chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday said that the state government was fighting with the Central government on the funds to the Polavaram Project. He interacted with the Polavaram displaced families of Alluri Sitarama Raju and Eluru districts on the day as part of his tour to the flood-hit areas of the Godavari river.

The chief minister said that the previous TDP government did not focus on the rehabilitation and resettlement package for the displaced families. He felt that the rehabilitation and resettlement should have been completed by now to enable the storage of water in the Polavaram Project. He also blamed his predecessor TDP government for ignoring the payment of compensation to the project displaced families.

Stating that the Covid 19 had delayed the work at the project site, the chief minister further blamed the TDP regime for mishandling of the project. The failures and irregularities of the previous TDP government were punishing both the government and the displaced families.

He said that the flood was never seen in the last 35 years and maintained that the government acted fast and saved lives despite the heavy floods. When the residents said that they were shifted to the rehabilitation colony during the floods, but were inundated, the chief minister wondered how the rehabilitation colony marooned in the flood water.

The chief minister further said that the government was fighting with the Central government to get the funds released earlier to complete the payment of compensation and implementation of the rehabilitation and resettlement package for the displaced families.

The chief minister claimed that the village volunteers and the staff of the village secretariats have worked hard during the floods to save people from the inundation. He also congratulated the officials and the collectors of both Alluri Sitarama Raju and Eluru districts for their active participation in the flood relief works.