VIDC seeks revised administrative approval to 73 irrigation projects


* VIDC pleads before Governor the case for release of Rs 1,244 crore for these works
* Demands formulation of policy for private purchase of land for projects

By Kartik Lokhande
Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) has sought revised administrative approvals (RAA) to as many as 73 irrigation projects in Vidarbha region. The total balance cost of these proposals is a whopping Rs 1,244 crore. Apart from this, there are several other proposals that were kept pending by the erstwhile Congress-NCP led Democratic Front (DF) Government.
According to officials of VIDC, the proposals have been submitted to the State Government. Though the actual cost of individual projects is quite higher, the proposals for revised administrative approvals have been prepared for remaining works only. Also, only the amount of difference between the original approved cost and additional funds required due to escalation of cost of materials etc has been sought. Still, this amount of RAA is a whopping Rs 1,244 crore. If these proposals are cleared by the Government, it would create balance irrigation potential of 46,520 hectares, said an official.

Published in 'The Hitavada' CityLine on November 9, 2014

VIDC had submitted the proposal to the erstwhile Congress-NCP led Democratic Front (DF) Government. However, facing the brunt of multi-crore irrigation scam, the Government decided to keep the proposals pending. As a result, even in genuine cases, the irrigation development of Vidarbha region was put on a backburner. With the new BJP-led Government taking over in Maharashtra, Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao decided to review irrigation development in Vidarbha during his four-day tour of the region. VIDC pleaded before him for approval to proposals of RAA for these 73 projects.
The officials in the know of things told ‘The Hitavada’ that there were several other issues left unaddressed by the erstwhile DF Government. These issues also were raised before the Governor. As per the note prepared by VIDC, a total of 2,476 proposals for acquisition of 23,195 hectares of land are pending. Further, as many as 67 proposals for forest land are pending. Of these, 24 are pending for final clearance and 43 are awating in-principle approval. Together, these proposals require 7,889 hectares of forest land and involve an irrigation potential of 3,29,484 hectares.
Another issue is vacancies in VIDC. As many as 86 posts of Sub-Divisional Engineer/SUb-Divisional Officer, and 493 posts of Junior Engineers/Assistant Engineers are lying vacant. This is affecting the field-level work badly, said a senior officer. VIDC is also pressing for formulation of a Government policy for private purchase of land. “In case of industrial projects, there are rules for private purchase of land. In case of irrigation projects, it is needed badly. For, in many cases, a little portion of private land is required and the project is held up,” added an official.
Other major demands of VIDC include powers to transfer Junior Engineer and Sub-Divisional Engineer to be vested in field officers, powers to accord administrative approval for maintenance and repairs of irrigation canals to be given to field officers of Water Resources Department as under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. The powers to transfer Junior Engineer/Sub-Divisional Engineer have been sought to be vested in field officers as in many cases, said senior officers of VIDC, these junior officers bring ‘political pressure’ to cancel transfer from a place to another.

Hike sought in amount to
repair ex-Malgujari tanks
VIDC officials also sought an increase in amount sanctioned to repair ex-Malgujari tanks in Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Bhandara, Gondia, and some part of Nagpur district. As per the prevailing norms, an amount of Rs 21,000 per hectare is sanctioned for repairs of these tanks. However, considering the increase in the rates of materials required for repairs, these norms need to be changed. VIDC has sought a raise to Rs 47,000 per hectare.

‘Reserve sand ghats
for Govt works’
In its note, VIDC has urged the Government to keep the sand ghats reserved for Government works. “Previously, the sand deposits were kept reserved for Government works. However, the practise was discontinued and this benefited contractors, who would cite the reason of rise in sand prices to inflate their bills for constuction work,” said an official. The demand of keeping sand ghats reserved for Government works has been made since long by various departments, but the erstwhile Government did not pay heed to it, for reasons best known to it.

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