Gosikhurd project to irrigate farms in 3 years: Fadnavis

* Rs 700 crore made available so far and funds will be made available as and when required, says Chief Minister 

* Rs 120 crore to be made available for Bawanthadi irrigation project 

Staff Reporter 

Finally, the farmers will be getting water for irrigating their farms. Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister, paid a visit to Gosikhurd irrigation project site in Bhandara district on Sunday and said that the project will irrigate farms in three years. He also announced that Rs 120 crore would be made available for Bawanthadi project, thus giving a boost to irrigation development in Vidarbha region. 

Keeping his word, Fadnavis visited Gosikhurd irrigation project and took stock of the situation, understood various problems that needed to be sorted out, and issued necessary directions. After that, he announced that Gosikhurd waters will irrigate farms in three years. During his visit, Chief Minister reviewed progress on various counts -- from rehabilitation to stalled construction and from sub-standard works to disconnected pump-houses. 

Fadnavis directed the administration to complete formalities for setting up Gram Panchayats in 34 villages relocated under Gosikhurd project, to speed up rehablitation and provision of basic amenities. These Gram Panchayats will get 10 perr cent funds for maintenance of facilities. He asked the administration to submit a proposal for complete updation of records in all 64 affected villages in a month. He sought proposals about water supply, drainage facilities there. As far as Gosikhurd project is concerned, he said, an amount of Rs 700 crore has been made available so far. 

Chief Minister asked the officials of Water Resources Department (WRD) concerned to submit a one-time proposal for Bawanthadi project and assured that Rs 120 crore would be provided for the project. He told the reporters that he himself would monitor the progress of Gosikhurd and Bawanthadi projects, and asked the officials to send reports directly to him. 

“Henceforth, the Government will provide funds to only those projects that can create irrigation potential. For land acquisition and rehabilitation works to be done from financial allocations, certain rules need to be relaxed and this will be done soon,” Fadnavis said. The relocated villages should get concrete roads, water supply schemes, flooring in schools, power supply etc. Funds have been provided to ensure better life for project-affected persons. 

Chief Minister held review meeting with public representatives and officials concerned at Wahi rest house. Vijay Shivtare, Minister of State for Water Resources; Deepak Kesarkar, Minister of State for Finance and Planning; Nana Patole, MP; Adv Ramchandra Avsare, Charan Waghmare, Bala Kashiwar, Sudhir Parve, all MLAs; Sudhirkumar Shrivastav, Additional Chief Secretary (Finance); Pravin Pardeshi, Principal Secretary (CMO); Malini Shankar, Additional Chief Secretary (Environment); Sunil Porwal, Additional Chief Secretary (Planning); Anoop Kumar, Divisional Commissioner, Nagpur; Dheeraj Kumar, Collector, Bhandara; Sachin Kurve, Collector, Nagpur; Dipak Mhaisekar, Collector, Chandrapur; and R B Shukla, Executive Director of Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) were present prominently on the occasion. 

Talking to mediapersons after the meeting, Chief Minister said, “We have taken policy decisions on all critical issues with a time-bound programme in mind as far as irrigation sector is concerned. We will work hard to increase irrigation potential. Maharashtra has received 50 permissions from Environment and Forest Ministry in last nine months, and this will provide a boost to irrigation potential.” Replying to a question, he said that officials who did not join at the places of new postings without a valid reason would be suspended. 

‘Contractors asked to repair 

sub-standard work by March’ 

Reiterating that the probe into multi-crore irrigation scam was on right track, Chief Minister said that the contractors concerned were asked to repair the sub-standard work done by them at their own expense. 

“We have asked them to complete the work by March 2016,” said Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister. Fadnavis, who was at the forefront in raising the irrigation scam on the floor of the State Legislature when his party was in the Opposition, said that Anti-Corruption Bureau was collecting evidence throughout the State and there was no fear or favour. 

Integrated Water Plan 

by March 2016: CM 

Devendra Fadnavis held the first meeting of Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) recently after taking over as Chief Minister. Referring to it, he said that Maharashtra Government had prepared a plan for Godavari Basin and the plans for 29 sub-basins were being prepared. 

“By March 2016, Maharashtra should get Integrated Water Plan. It would the first State to do so. Already, the Government has entered into an agreement with Murray-Darling Basin Authority that prepared ambitious plan for Murray-Darling Basin in Australia. We are heading towards similar basin and sub-basin plan for effective water management,” Fadnavis said. 

Being the first state to prepare Integrated Water Plan, Maharashtra expects the Central Government to incentivise it. Preparation of an Integrated Water Plan is a step forward towards realising Fadnavis’ goal of bringing in reforms in irrigation sector in the State, following the multi-crore irrigation scam to the tune of Rs 70,000 crore. 

The Integrated Water Plan envisages mapping of river basins and sub-basins, groundwater tables to lay plan for utilisation of water available, equitable distribution of water from river basins, assessment of requirement for irrigation projects or components etc. Once prepared, the plan may set goals for a five-year period and then revise it at the end of the period based on the experience and achievements.

(16-08-15)