CAG highlights financial irregularities in water department

The CAG report on Chhattisgarh's general, social and economic (non-PSUs) sectors for the year-ended March 2014 has pointed out financial irregularities to the tune of Rs 1,473 crore in Water Resources department of Chhattisgarh.
"In audit of the Water Resources Department (WRD), we have found financial irregularities of Rs 1,473 crore," Accountant General (Audit) Chhattisgarh Bijay Kumar Mohanty told reporters.
The WRD did not draft the integrated water resources master plan to identify probable irrigation projects even after a lapse of 14 years of formation of the state, which has greatly affected its target to irrigate total gross sown area in the state.

"The Chhattisgarh state government notified the State Water Resources Department Policy in November 2001 with the objective of sustainable development of water resources in a planned way with special emphasis on drought affected and rain shadow areas. For fulfilment of its objective, the department was to prepare a master plan. However, even after lapse of 14 years, the same was not finalised," the report stated.
Though the WRD embarked (2001) on an ambitious target to irrigate 75 per cent (30.45 lakh hectares) of Gross Sown Area (GSA) which is 58.30 hectares in the state, the created irrigation potential of the state was increased from 13.28 lakh hectares as of November 2001 to only 19.04 lakh hectares as of March 2014, it said.

"The department was not able to achieve the year-wise target fixed for creation of irrigation potential. At the current average rate of creation of 0.27 lakh ha irrigation potential per year, the target (of irrigating 75 per cent of the total GSA) may be achieved only after 91 years," the report states.