Report 4 of 2025 - Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on Polavaram Irrigation Project pertaining to Government of Andhra Pradesh

What did the audit examine?

The audit examined the Polavaram Irrigation Project under the Water Resources Department of the Government of Andhra Pradesh for the year ended March 2023.

Who / what it concerns

Government of Andhra Pradesh (Water Resources Department)

What the auditor found

• Pendency of bills
• Delay in submission of requisite documents to PPA
• Delay in Investment Clearance
• Non-compliance to conditions stipulated by Ministry of Environment & Forest
• Construction of protective embankments in neighbouring States
• Implementation of Lift Schemes without statutory approval
• Non-maintenance of environmental and ecological balance
• Non-adoption of planning tools for effective implementation
• Non-adherence to planned construction schedule
• Grounding of works without prior approval
• Non-handing of clear title of land
• Pre-closure of work on recommendation of expert committee
• Arbitrariness in selection of contract agency
• Delayed entrustment of works
• Undue financial assistance to contract agencies
• Avoidable liability towards expenditure on treatment of collapsed tunnel
• Avoidable expenditure towards rectification works
• Issuance of quality control certificates
• Incorrect inclusion of clause for payment of interest free advance
• Acceptance of bank guarantees with short validity period
• Delay in claim for goods and service tax
• Sanction of interest free advance
• Advance procurement of Electro-Mechanical components
• Change in canal alignment after entrustment
• Incorrect adoption of unit rate
• Improper assessment of revised quantities
• Stoppage of work due to pendency of Land Acquisition and R&R
• Non-settlement of accounts of contract agencies
• Slow progress of Land Acquisition
• Lack of consistency in assessment of land
• Decrease in extent of government and forest land for acquisition
• Discrepancy in land assessment data
• Inordinate delay in publication of Preliminary Notification
• Passing of land awards without proper ownership records
• Incorrect interpretation of Act provisions led to excess fixation of land compensation
• Deposit of compensation amount in Authority Account
• Non-maintenance of records of Authority Account
• Payment of disputed amount to ineligible landowners
• Payment of Land Acquisition compensation for ineligible land
• Payment of Land Acquisition award compensation for Khalsa land
• Avoidable financial burden due to delay in passing of awards
• Delay in passing of awards for village site along with agricultural land
• Inordinate delay in passing of awards after disposal of court cases
• Delay in acquisition of assigned land
• Payment of land compensation without validation
• Payment of compensation amount for unclaimed land
• Payment of compensation without ownership records
• Land-to-land apportionment made more than the prescribed limit
• Incorrect identification of habitations between contours
• Inconsistency in data on Project Displaced Families
• Delay in completion of census after issuing Preliminary Notification
• Implementation of R&R Schemes without time frame
• Creation of web-based workflow for R&R activities
• Non-inclusion of basic data in R&R Scheme
• Pending acquisition of land for R&R colonies
• Acquisition of unfit land for cultivation
• Non-provisioning of amenities to R&R colonies
• Allotment of land-to-land to ineligible beneficiaries
• Allotment of land more than the permissible limit
• Non-payment of additional R&R package to Project Displaced Families
• Housing units kept vacant for want of essential amenities
• Non-provision of additional common facilities
• Unfruitful expenditure due to non-completion of compound wall
• Delayed formation of Project Administrator Office
• Functioning of R&R units with meagre staff
• Lack of effective mechanism for speedy disposal of grievances
• Non conduct of Social Audits in R&R colonies