Context: Andhra Pradesh government has launched works for erection of the first radial gate – the 41st one – at the Polavaram project site. The state hopes that the project works would be completed by May 2019 and water would be released to canals under gravity by December 2019. The Polavaram project was accorded national status in 2014 in the Andhra Pradesh Bifurcation Act and its design was changed.

About the Polavaram project:

• Polavaram Project is a multi-purpose irrigation project.
• The dam across the Godavari River is under construction located in West Godavari District and East Godavari District in Andhra Pradesh state and its reservoir spreads in parts of Chhattisgarh and Orissa States also.
• The project is multipurpose major terminal reservoir project on river Godavari for development of Irrigation, Hydropower and drinking water facilities to East Godavari, Vishakhapatnam, West Godavari and Krishna districts of Andhra Pradesh.
• The project is likely to displace over 1.88 lakh people across 222 villages and so far, 1,730 persons in six villages have been rehabilitated by the government.
• Polavaram will benefit all the 13 districts of A.P, directly or indirectly.

Some of the main benefits to the State are as under:

• 7.2 lakh Acres of new ayacut to be created for irrigation
• Stabilization of 23.5 lakh acres
• Water Diversion: 80 TMC of Godavari water to be diverted to Krishna river
• Domestic & Industrial water Supply: 23.44 TMC of water to the industries in and around Vishakhapatnam including Vizag steel plant and Vishakhapatnam city.
• Drinking water Facility: Drinking water facility to 540 villages to a population of 28.5 Lakh enroute canals

Benefits to Other States

• Odisha and Chhattisgarh shall be benefitted with 5 TMC & 1.5 TMC of irrigation water respectively
• Odisha and Chhattisgarh can develop & exploit pisciculture and boating facilities in their own territories
• 80 TMC of water in Krishna river shall be saved on account of diversion of equal amount from river Godavari.
• The water saved in river Krishna shall be shared between Andhra (45 TMC), Karnataka (21 TMC) & Maharashtra (14 TMC)