Hyderabad, March 24: Chief Minister K. Rosaiah said that he would visit New Delhi after the budget session of the Legislative Assembly which is scheduled to conclude by this month-end. “I plan to visit New Delhi to pursue national project status for Polavaram. I will also seek an appointment with AICC president Sonia Gandhi,” he said in an informal chat with reporters in his chambers in the Assembly on Tuesday. Asked whether he would seek permission to undertake a Cabinet reshuffle, he parried the query maintaining that he would raise the Polavaram project and also discuss other issues. He declined to specify the date on which he planned to go to New Delhi.
National project status
Mr. Rosaiah said he was confident that the Centre would accord national project status to Polavaram shortly. He had spoken to Minister of State for Defence M. M. Pallam Raju asking him to follow up the State’s plea. “We have given all relevant information sought by the Centre. Some minor queries have been raised by the officials, which we will address shortly,” he added.
The Chief Minister said that he had taken up the Polavaram issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who had indicated that the Centre was seriously considering the request. On similar status for Pranahita Chevella irrigation scheme, he said preliminary permissions were yet to be received.
Meanwhile, a delegation of journalists submitted a memorandum to him seeking action against Praja Rajyam workers for allegedly attacking ABN-Andhra Jyothy TV channel office.
–Agencies