Early Times Report
jammu, Feb 27: The Irrigation Department had allegedly executed over twenty five Minor Irrigation schemes by spending funds in excess of permissible limit in violation of Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) guidelines.
Sources told Early Times that that department selected irrigation schemes with high development cost which can be gauged from the fact that as per Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme guidelines, which envisage that only those Surface Minor Irrigation schemes are eligible for funding under programme, which are approved by State Technical Advisory Committee and their development cost should be less than one lakh. Although later the monetary limit was revised to Rs 2.50 lakh for schemes taken up subsequently.
They further said that the development cost in respect of over 25 schemes of Irrigation Division, Akhnoor, Irrigation & Flood Control Division, Udhampur, Irrigation & Flood Control Division, Nowshera, Irrigation & Flood Control Division, Rajouri, Irrigation & Flood Control Division, Budgam, Hydraulic Division Uri and Irrigation Division Anantnag sanctioned prior to the year 2013-14 which were due for completion during 2010-16, were in excess of permissible limit of one lakh. But they were executed with the range between Rs 1- 3 lakh per hectare.
They further informed that huge expenditure to the tune of crores was incurred on execution of these schemes. Although the argument of the department that schemes were duly approved by the Technical Advisory Committee and thereafter the funds were released for execution of works holds no water with the fact that ineligible schemes were selected and approved in violation of AIBP guidelines, sources alleged. |
