Minister denies misuse of funds in Durgawati Reservoir project

There has been no misuse of funds in the under-construction Durgawati reservoir project in Bihar which might be completed ahead of the March 2012 deadline.

"There has been no misuse of public money in the construction of Durgawati Reservoir project, for providing irrigation water to Rohtas and Kaimur districts, during the NDA government's term and the spending of about Rs. 380 crore has been duly accounted for, Water Resources Minister Vijendra Prasad Yadav told reporters here today.       

He rebutting RJD MP and former Irrigation Minister Jagadanand Singh's charge that the NDA government had failed to complete the project during its term despite assurance by ministers.
   
Yadav blamed the then then RJD government for having flouted the forest and environment norms in acquisition of land which was stayed by the Supreme Court subsequently.
       
The NDA government, on the other hand, forcefully pleaded in the apex court for acquisition of forest land for construction of the reservoir and fulfilled various obligations, including giving compensation before the court's stay could be vacated in 2008, he said.
       
As of now, work like 55 per cent of river closure, five per cent slipway and dam each, 35 per cent drainage and 93 per cent distribution system needed to completed before the farmers of Rohtas and Kaimur districts could be provided irrigation water, he said.
   
He hoped that the project would be completed before its deadline of March 2012.
       
Yadav also had a dig at the senior RJD leader for 'apathy' towards the project though he was the minister of the concerned department for 15 years since 1990.
       
Referring to Singh's threat that the RJD-led alliance if elected to power would jail him for alleged misappropriation of Rs. 60 crore in the name of the project, Yadav said that neither he nor his predecessor Ramashraya Prasad Singh were scared as there was no wrong-doing in the implementation of the project.