Jamshedpur, Sept. 27: The state water resource department is contemplating to revise the total project cost of Subernarekha Multipurpose Project (SMP), yet again.
For the fifth time, to be precise.
Sources at Adityapur headquarters of SMP told The Telegraph the total estimated cost of the project, which now stood at Rs 2,869.75 crore, was likely to rise to Rs 5,000 crore. Interestingly, at the time of its inception in 1978, the project cost was estimated to be Rs 108 crore. About 40 per cent of the project work has been completed, they added.
According to the sources, the decision to revise the cost of the project was taken following ?recent calculations and estimates undertaken by the SMP authorities?.
Phulan Prasad, chief engineer in the waters resources department, said: ?While determining the estimated cost of the project during the fourth revision in 2001, the department didn?t pay heed to some important aspects. For example, the department did not take into account the expenses it would have to bear in acquiring 1,800 acre for the project. We?re waiting for the SMP authorities to send a fresh estimate, following which the state government would take a decision on revising the project cost.?
In addition to that, the need to undertake some major modifications in the Chandil south canal, as part of the project, is the reason behind the proposal to increase the cost, he said.
The state government aims to complete the project by the 2008, which is supposed to act as a perennial source of water for 2,55,000 acres of cultivable plots in Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal.
The SMP sources said the officials were busy in working out the revised project cost of SMP, which would be sent within a month to the state water resources headquarters for approval.
SMP administrator B.K. Tripathi said apart from the state government, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development was also providing financial aid to the project. The rural bank recently provided a cheque of Rs 86 crore for the project, he added.
