CM Jagan to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Oct 5

Amaravati: The Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 5. At the time of differences exist between centre and state over many issues including Power Purchase Agreements, Polavaram Irrigation project's reverse tendering and others, his visit to the New Delhi gained most importance.

It is known that the centre has communicated its apprehensions on the renegotiation of the PPAs and repeatedly suggested the state government not to disturb the existing PPAs. On the other hand, the state government is confident that there was corruption involved in entering the PPAs and hence the agreements were entered with high tariffs.

When comes to the Polavaram irrigation project, as soon as the YSRCP formed government in the state, it has terminated the Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd (NECL) from the ongoing works. The state government also went ahead for reverse tenders and finalized the financial bid to the new company Megha.

In this process, it has saved hundreds of crores of rupees, which would be the strong point to argue with the centre. Before the state was going for reverse tenders in Polavaram, the Prime Minister's Office asked the state government to present the allegations raised by the state government over the project, point by point.

Meanwhile, the Polavaram Project Authority has also opposed the reverse tendering in the project. The Centre Water Commission was also not willing to disturb the Polavaram contracts. A case also is pending on this proposal with the High Court. At this juncture, the visit of Chief Minister may give some clarity on the ongoing tussle over the Polavaram, between various stakeholders.

The Polavaram is hundred percent funded by the central government, as mandated in the AP Reorganization Act. The Polavaram Project Authority has been stating that if the NECL terminated, then the project construction will get delayed. But the state government has been arguing that it could complete the project within the time frame with lesser expenditure.

The state government also requested the centre to cooperate in interlinking of the Godavari with Krishna through Telangana state. Chief Minister wrote a letter to Prime Minister in this regard, after the first sitting of both Telangana and AP CMs meeting in Hyderabad. Both the CMs also held second meeting also on it. The sources in the CM office informed that the issue will be discussed with the Prime Minister once again, in this meeting.

AP government is also contemplating to ask the central assistance in overcoming the present electricity crisis in the state. The shortage in supply of coal from the coal mining companies has forced the state into power crisis. State government already asked the centre to bailout AP from this serious problem and negotiations are still in progress with various departments in the union.

In addition to that, the state government has been asking the centre to assist in its Navaratnalu. Under the Navaratnalu, state government has been developing infrastructure related to health and education sectors. The Chief Minister will also discuss on various other pending issues in the AP Reorganization and other financial issues.

It is worth to mention here that, the Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao also is going to meet Prime Minister on October 4, just a day before Jagan's visit to New Delhi.