 "Maha governor expresses concern over incomplete projects")
“If limited resources are spread thin over a large number of projects, it will result in cost and time overruns and, eventually, the benefits arising out of these works will not be commensurate with the expenditure. The completion of the ongoing works should be taken up in a mission mode, by devising a well-thought out policy of prioritisation of projects,” the governor said.
The governor made the statement as part of his directives issued on March 13 to the state government under clause 7 of The Development Boards for Vidarbha, Marathwada and Rest of Maharashtra Order, 2011.
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The governor also stated that priorities to committed expenditure in the irrigation sector should not be diluted by taking up new projects.
He also asked the state government to lay special emphasis on land acquisition, transfer of government land for projects, forest clearances, allocation of requisite staff and inter-departmental coordination.
The governor also asked the state government to allocate Rs 382 crore for backlog removal in sectors other than irrigation in the annual plan for 2013-14. Of the Rs 382 crore, an allocation of Rs 122 crore is to be made for Vidarbha, Rs 53 crore for Marathwada and Rs 206 crore for the rest of Maharashtra.
“The governor has directed that the allocation of removal of backlog in non-irrigation sectors should be strictly as per the directives and be over and above the regular plan outlay for the respective departments. The governor has laid stress on the need for close coordination between the public health, higher and technical education, planning, finance and public works department for utilisation of backlog funds and completion of works in a mission mode,” the governor said in his directives issued on March 13, ahead of the presentation of the annual budget for 2013-14 by the state finance minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday.
The governor said that sufficient funds should first be earmarked to the four districts in the Amravati division that have a balance physical backlog from the divisible outlay of the irrigation sector. An allocation of Rs 750 crore be allocated to these four districts. The governor mentioned that the state Planning Department had indicated that the overall allocation available for the water resources department in the annual plan of 2013-14 would be Rs 8,216.73 crore.
According to the governor, the disbursement of outlay in the irrigation sector in the annual plan should be strictly in proportion to region wise overall allocation. The expenditure in the three regions (Vidarbha, Marathwada and Rest of Maharashtra) should be reviewed quarterly by secretary of the water resources department and corrective measures should be initiated as and when necessary to ensure conformance to the formula of allocations.
The governor's directives come in the wake of the state government's decision to institute an inquiry by a special investigation team led by water expert Madhav Chitale into the present state of the irrigation sector and also suggest action against irregularities, if any, committed during the implementation of irrigation projects of over Rs 70,000 crore during 1999 and 2010-11.
Maharashtra’s irrigation projects have come under severe criticism in the wake of the worst drought in 40 years in the state.