The Madhya Pradesh Congress on Wednesday, 11 November 2026 demanded accountability from the Centre over a reported cost escalation of approximately ₹3.22 lakh crore across 1,853 central projects, alleging that chronic delays and successive budget revisions had imposed a heavy burden on public funds. The charge was led by Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Jitu Patwari, who cited data from the Centre's own PAIMANA portal.

Key Figures Behind the Overrun

Patwari noted that just 25 major projects accounted for ₹2.11 lakh crore of the total escalation — roughly 65 per cent of the additional expenditure. To put the figure in context, he argued that the same amount could have funded the construction of approximately 4,200 schools, assuming a per-unit cost of ₹50 crore.

'Who will be held accountable for this wastage of public money?' Patwari asked, demanding that the government disclose the reasons behind rising project costs and identify those responsible.

Projects Cited as Worst Offenders

Patwari highlighted several specific infrastructure projects where cost estimates have ballooned dramatically. The Polavaram Irrigation Project saw its estimated cost surge from ₹10,151 crore to ₹55,549 crore — an increase of more than five times. The Subansiri Lower Dam project rose from ₹6,285 crore to ₹26,076 crore, while the Sardar Sarovar project climbed from ₹20,718 crore to ₹33,413 crore.

He also flagged the Hubli-Ankola railway line, originally scheduled for completion in March 2005, which now carries a revised deadline of March 2030 — a delay of a quarter-century.

Congress Demands Inquiry and Disclosure

Patwari alleged that the pattern of cost escalation and delays raised fundamental questions about project planning, implementation, and accountability — particularly when large sums of public money were at stake. 'The country has the right to know why project costs are rising repeatedly, who is responsible for the delays, and what action has been taken against those accountable,' he said.

The Congress leader formally demanded an independent inquiry into the cost overruns, public disclosure of the revised project estimates and timelines, and punitive action against officials found responsible for the lapses.

Broader Context

This comes amid long-standing concerns from public finance experts and opposition parties alike over project governance in India's infrastructure sector. Cost overruns in large government projects are not new: a 2023 report by the Ministry of Statistics had flagged that over 400 projects with original costs above ₹150 crore had each recorded time overruns of more than a year. Critics argue that weak penalty clauses in contracts and infrequent third-party audits allow revisions to accumulate with limited accountability. The MPCC's intervention is expected to sharpen opposition pressure on the BJP-led Centre ahead of forthcoming assembly sessions.