SIT gives clean chit to Ajit Pawar, observes no scam in irrigation projects in Maha

The Chitale report observed that under Pawar irrigated area rose by 26%

The Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government in Maharashtra has received a major boost, with a special investigation team (SIT) headed by expert Madhav Chitale giving a clean chit to Ajit Pawar, deputy chief minister and former state water resources minister, in the alleged irrigation project scam in the state.

The SIT also gave a clean chit to Pawar’s predecessors, as well as his successor in the water resources ministry.

The SIT, whose report on irrigation projects in Maharashtra was tabled by water resources minister Sunil Tatkare in the state Assembly on Saturday, said there was no scam related to these projects, as alleged by the opposition parties and non-governmental organisations. The SIT put the onus of various lapses on the officials of irrigation corporations. It also said it found systemic and individual faults in the irrigation department and corporations and recommended penal and other measures to address these.

The SIT, formed in December 2012, had submitted its report to the government in February this year.

Of the 185 major and medium irrigation projects, the cost of 100 projects had increased to Rs 68,656 crore from the initial estimate of Rs 8,389 crore, a rise of Rs 60,266 crore in 25 years, the SIT said. The escalation, due to inflation was of Rs 28,552 crore, it said, adding the rise in the cost of projects was primarily due to administrative and procedural changes.

The area under irrigation in the state had increased from 3.64 million hectares in 2001-02 to 4.59 million hectares in 2010-11, the SIT report said. While irrigation potential rose 26 per cent, irrigated areas increased 42 per cent; this was when Ajit Pawar was the water resources minister.

These observations are contrary to those made in Economic Survey 2011-12, which said irrigation potential rose a mere 0.1 per cent.

The SIT said project costs had risen due to the time taken in land acquisition, rehabilitation and acquisition of forest land, changes in project design and an increase in the area brought under irrigation. Costs also surged due to expenditure on an arbitrator in a dispute related to tenders between the government and the contractor.

Opposition parties, however, alleged within seven months in 2009, the cost of 38 irrigation projects being implemented by the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation had escalated from Rs 6,672.27 crore to Rs 26,722.33 crore. Of these projects, 30 were granted approvals in just four days---11 on August 14, 10 in June, five on July 7, and four on August 18.