Polavaram Project

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has intensified its opposition to the Polavaram Project, highlighting its potential adverse effects on tribal communities in Odisha’s Malkangiri district.

About the Polavaram Project

• The Polavaram Irrigation Project is being built on the Godavari River.
  • It has been accorded national project status by the union government in 2014.
• It was conceived as part of the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) recommendations and declared a national project under the Andhra Pradesh State Reorganization Act, 2014.
• Initially agreed upon in an interstate agreement (1980) between Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha, the project is being executed by Andhra Pradesh.
  • The Reservoir also spreads to Telangana, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh.
• The Union government has allocated ₹15,000 crore for its completion in the 2024 budget.
• Purpose: To provide irrigation benefits, generate hydropower, and support interlinking of rivers for water distribution.
• Displacement of Konda Reddis and Koya Tribes: The Konda Reddis (a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group) and Koya tribes in the Godavari region have been displaced due to the Polavaram Project, are now deprived of their livelihood.

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Criteria for declaring an irrigation project as a National Project in India

• International Projects: Involving water usage dictated by treaties or crucial for national interest.
• Inter-State Projects: Facing delays due to unresolved issues like cost sharing, rehabilitation, or power generation, including river interlinking projects.
• Intra-State Projects:
  • Creating new irrigation potential exceeding 2 lakh hectares.
  • No water-sharing disputes.
  • Established hydrology.
• Extension, Renovation & Modernization (ERM) Projects: Aiming to extend/restore irrigation potential of at least 2 lakh hectares.

Important Note: Meeting these criteria doesn’t automatically guarantee National Project status. It also  requires approval of the Advisory Committee on Irrigation, Flood Control and Multipurpose projects of DoWR, RD&GR as per laid down procedure, investment clearance, recommendations by the High Powered Steering Committee, availability of funds as well as Government priorities at that time, etc.