Polavaram on the Godavari: the National Project that is to divert 80 TMC of water to the Krishna river basin

Background

The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act is one of the four documents from which the Central Government's commitments to the newly created State of Andhra Pradesh flow, and under section 90 the Act declares the Polavaram Irrigation Project as a National Project. The Ministry of Finance records that the Polavaram Project is on the river Godavari near Ramayyapeta village of Polavaram mandal, about 42 km upstream of Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage in the State of Andhra Pradesh. It envisages construction of a dam and canal system to create an ultimate irrigation potential of 2,91,000 ha (7.2 lakh acres), generation of 960 MW of hydro power, drinking water supply to a population of 28.50 lakh in 540 villages, and diversion of 80 TMC of water to the Krishna river basin. Separately, under section 93 of the Act the institutions and infrastructure to be developed in the State are outlined in the Thirteenth Schedule, and the Act also provides for a developmental package for the backward areas of the State and for incentives in particular for the Rayalaseema and north coastal regions.