Panaji (GOA) State Minister for Water Resources Vinod Palyekar has set December 2019 deadline for completion of Tillari irrigation project, which is a joint venture between Maharashtra and Goa.

Palyekar today held meeting with the WRD Chief Engineer ST Nadkarni directing tofast tract the pending Tillari project, which is directly monitored by the Prime Minister’s Office.

“Have given a deadline of December 2019 for completion of the project,” Palyekar said.

Initiated in 1988, the project’s cost has shot up from the initial Rs 217 crore to Rs 1,600 crore. Although the main dam has been completed in Maharashtra, work on the canal network, a majority of which lies in Goa, is still under progress.

State Government has recently sent fresh proposal for an amount of Rs 400 crore to the Central government for the project.