GOSIKHURD: SILVER JUBILEE OF A DISAPPOINTMENT!

Published in The Hitavada CityLine and Vidarbha Line on April 22, 2013

Gosikhurd: Silver jubilee of a disappointment!

* Even after 25 years since April 22, 1988, the mega irrigation project is still incomplete. Barely 15 per cent of planned irrigation potential of 2,50,800 hectares has been created so far despite spending Rs 6,073.71 crore, which is over 16 times the original estimated cost of the project

* While farmers are still waiting for irrigation benefits to the desired extent, the project got mired into controversies with several official committees pointing out irregularities, violation of norms, sub-standard work etc

By Kartik Lokhande

Bigger the dream, bigger the disappointment. This is true in case of Gosikhurd mega irrigation project. Conceived in the year 1983, the project attracted much attention as none other than the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi performed its bhoomipujan on April 22, 1988. Since bhoomipujan, 25 years have passed by. On ground, the project has failed in making the promised impact on socio-economic scene in Vidarbha region, leaving behind disappointed farmers!

At the time of performing bhoomipujan, the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had promised speedier completion of the project and had said that Gosikhurd would be a milestone in Vidarbha’s development. Since then, the project has not added much to wealth creation potential of the region, at least from irrigation. But, as has been pointed out by Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), Vadnere and Mendhegiri committees appointed by the State Government, and even Central Water Commission (CWC), through sub-standard work and ‘overlooking’ violation of norms, and extending benefits to contractors, money that had come for the project had gone to all others except for farmers. As a result, the desired benefits of the project are yet to reach the real beneficiaries -- farmers -- but money has been ‘utilised’ on record.

At the time of conceptualisation in 1983, Gosikhurd project’s original estimated cost was Rs 372.22 crore. As Water Resources Department (WRD) has admitted in its own ‘White Paper on Irrigation’ released during winter session of State Legislature held in Nagpur in December 2012, it took as many as 14 years for the dam work to actually begin since the date of bhoomipujan. This itself indicates how the project had been a victim of neglect from Maharashtra Government, though the then Prime Minister had performed its bhoomipujan. The saga of injustice did not stop in 1997 when the dam’s actual work began. It continued later on also.

In July 2006, on conclusion of his Vidarbha tour, the then (and current) Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had assured to accord ‘national project’ status to Gosikhurd considering its significance for the region’s economy. He ‘requested’ Maharashtra Government to expedite project work while assuring necessary assistance from Central Government. Gosikhurd got ‘national project’ status, but funds flow did not improve to the extent that work could be completed in a time-bound manner. By March 2012, an amount of 6,073.71 crore was spent on the project and still it required an estimated Rs 7,665.29 crore more for completion! WRD documents reveal that third revised administrative approval pegs the project cost at Rs 13,739 crore, which is almost 40 times the original estimated cost!

This clearly indicates that funds supply has not been adquate for the project. Surprisingly, over the years, the project became a plank for political parties of different hues. The political leaders including elected representatives created noise about project’s completion but only to the extent of serving their own interests. Else, how can one explain some political leaders favouring contractors and some others utilising this opportunity to lodge complaints against the project and requesting the Central Government to stop funds supply? Both the sides of this political game did not serve the original purpose for which farmers are waiting since 25 years -- irrigation benefits. As a result, farmers in Nagpur, Chandrapur, and Bhandara districts are left exposed to vagaries of nature as they were back in 1988.

The ambitious project was expected to irrigate 2,50,800 hectares of land in Nagpur, Chandrapur, and Bhandara districts. However, so far, irrigation potential of only 36,894 hectare could be created. This despite spending thousands of crores of rupees. While not much of justification is offered for delay in completion of the project, there are ‘n’ number of justifications for increase in project cost periodically. ‘White Paper on Irrigation’ is the document that has been released by WRD to justify rise in expenditure. It blames upward revision in current schedule of rates, change in design, change in scope, land acquisition, net present value for acquisition of forest land etc for rise in cost.

The work on dam and gates was completed long back. Most of the work of canals also is nearing completion (though much needs to be done as Mendhegiri Committee had pointed out sub-standard quality of canal work, and CWC had reported sliding down of canal lining at some places). However, water is still not reaching the farmers as planned. The main reason is incomplete works of distribution system and field channels.

In these 25 years since bhoomipujan of the project, though irrigation benefits could not reach the farmers to the desired extent, many officers of erstwhile Irrigation Department and now Water Resources Department got retired with ‘due superannuation benefits’. Contractors got benefited with extra work and inflated cost everytime there was change in design or scope of the project. Political leaders got benefited from feeling of injustice among their voters. And, as has been exposed in a number of committees, the unholy nexus of contractors-bureaucrats-politicians robbed Gosikhurd of its due share of funds, and Vidarbha region of due share of irrigation from the project.

In true sense, 2013 marks the silver jubilee of a big disappointment and Gosikhurd irrigation project remains a telling monument of injustice meted out to Vidarbha region. With the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly elections scheduled next year, it remains to be seen if Gosikhurd once again becomes an issue for the sake of posterity only or is treated as priority project as far as Vidarbha’s development is concerned.

Rehabilitation: Issues remain,

PAPs continue to take blame

Some time back, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had remarked that project-affected persons (PAPs) needed to realise the project’s potential and leave their ‘ever-increasing’ demands. His statement indicated that PAPs are blamed for delay in project completion. Partly, it might be true, but a look at Water Resources Department’s data reveals different picture.

According to official data, 16,000 families in 93 villages including 8,332 families in Nagpur district, 6,636 families in Bhandara district; and remaining in Chandrapur district had to be rehabilitated. Over the years, there was an increase in number of families as younger ones in original families got married and started living separately. Thus came the demand for them being treated as different family as far as rehabilitation package was concerned. With rising costs of essential commodities, land, healthcare facilities, and even standard of living, demand for additional compensation also came up.

Over the years, the project’s estimated cost increased by almost 40 times the original cost. ‘White Paper on Irrigation’ holds upward revision in current schedule of rates for 51 per cent cost escalation, followed by land acquisition, rehabilitation, forest land, NPV for 17.06 per cent rise; change in scope for 3.86 per cent; change in design for 5.33 per cent; and ‘Other Reasons’ for 22.74 per cent rise in cost escalation.

This makes it clear that land acquisition, rehabilitation, forest land acquisition, payment of net present value (NPV) together constitute only 17.06 per cent of escalation in project’s original estimated cost. If one considers third revised administrative approval cost of Rs 13,369 crore, this 17.06 per cent works out to Rs 2,280.58 crore. In WRD’s own admission, if all rehabilitation issues are to be sorted out in accordance with Relief and Rehabilitation Policy of the year 2007, it would require Rs 915 crore.

This leaves one surprised as to why is the Government hesitant in granting additional expenditure of Rs 915 crore for rehabilitation of PAPs in case of a project that has appeared in speeches of two Prime Ministers and that is considered a ‘foundation’ of positive change in socio-economic scenario of Vidarbha region. While the Government has hesitated in clearing rehabilitation issues that require Rs 915 crore on account of ‘rising demands’ of PAPs, it has sanctioned much higher expenditure on pretexts that ended up in helping only contractors over the years. As a result, the rehabilitation issues remained (though some new issues also cropped up) due to the Government’s partisan approach towards PAPs. However, again, PAPs only took the blame for delay in completion of the project.

How estimated cost was revised

* Original estimated cost (March 1983) -- Rs 372.22 cr

* First revised administrative approval (July 1999) -- Rs 2,091.13 cr

* Second revised administrative approval (November 2007) -- Rs 5,659.09 cr

* CWC technical advisory committee approval (February 2008) -- Rs 7,777.78 cr

* Third revised administrative approval (2011-12) -- Rs 13,739 cr

Rise in estimated cost, on account of various reasons

* Rise in schedule of rates -- 51 per cent

* Land acquisition, rehabilitation, forest land, NPV -- 17.06 per cent

* Change in scope -- 3.86 per cent

* Change in design -- 5.33 per cent

* Other Reasons -- 22.74 per cent

(Reasons as cited in White Paper on Irrigation)

Gosikhurd Project -- Current Status

* Land required -- 8,228.41 hectares

* Land acquired -- 4,688.52 hectares (56.98%)

* Forest land required -- 1,605.09 hectares

* Forest land acquired -- 1,010.14 hectares (62.93%)

* Dam work -- 100 per cent done

* Canal work (Right Canal, Left Canal, Asolamendha, Tekepar LIS, Ambhora LIS, Mokhabardi LIS, Nerla LIS) -- 283.46 kms (total length), 236.19 kms (work completed)

* Distribution system (Right Canal, Left Canal, Asolamendha, Tekepar LIS, Ambhora LIS, Mokhabardi LIS, Nerla LIS) -- 1,90,000 hectares (total area); only 28,155 hectares (completed)

* Work of field channel -- 2,00,000 hectares (total area); only 11,801 hectares (completed)

* Irrigation potential -- 2,50,800 hectares (planned); 36,894 hectares (created)

Year-wise expenditure on Gosikhurd project

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Year                Expenditure incurred

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Upto 1995-96    Rs 155.05 cr

1996-97             Rs 40.20 cr

1997-98             Rs 70.70 cr

1998-99             Rs 95.46 cr

1999-2000         Rs 111.70 cr

2000-01             Rs 172.86 cr

2001-02             Rs 106.19 cr

2002-03             Rs 47.61 cr

2003-04            Rs 84.41 cr

2004-05            Rs 67.04 cr

2005-06           Rs 469.65 cr

2006-07           Rs 557.53 cr

2007-08           Rs 559.59 cr

2008-09           Rs 748.54 cr

2009-10           Rs 884.83 cr

2010-11           Rs 922.83 cr

2011-12           Rs 979.52 cr

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Total               Rs 6,073.71 cr

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