Corruption In Jalayagnam, Govt Admits

Major and Medium Irrigation Minister P Sudarshan Reddy, on Tuesday, admitted to financial irregularities in the implementation of the Jalayagnam program.

Replying to a debate on lift irrigation schemes, in the state Legislative Assembly, during Question Hour, the minister said that an amount of Rs. 3,860.60 crore was paid to the contractors for the timely completion of the different irrigation projects.

However, the projects were delayed, and the state government has so far recovered Rs. 2,810.67 crore, with interest, from the contractors, Sudarshan Reddy said.

The minister informed the House that 86 projects have been completed under the scheme. As many as 50 other projects were being taken up on a priority basis.

He hoped that 18 projects would be completed during the financial year 2012-13, and that 20 others ould be completed during 2013-14. He said that about Rs. 98,000 crore would be spent for those projects.

Sudarshan Reddy said that by July or August this year, an additional 2 lakh hectares would be brought under irrigation.

He said the government has decided to adjust about 2-3% of the increase in the input costs for all the projects.

Earlier, the TDP members criticised the government for the improper implementation of the Jalayagnam scheme. M Narasimhulu said that the scheme was misused by the ruling party leaders in order to fill their personal exchequers.

Gali Muddukrishnamma Naidu said that the as per the rules, the government makes payments on an installment basis of 65%, 25%, 10% and 5%, but that in most cases payments were made to the contactors in advance without the completion of works.

P Keshava and D Narendra of TDP, G Mallesh of CPI, J Ranga Reddy of CPM and E Lakshminarayana of BJP also criticised the government for the improper implementation of the project.

Intervening in the issue, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy denied the allegations, and said that the projects were being implemented in a transparent manner. He said that about 58 lakh hectares of additional irrigation facility would be created after all the projects are completed.

The Chief Minister said that about 7,578 MW of power would be required for lift irrigation projects. Of this, 3201 MW would be supplied by APGENCO, 2707 MW by CPDCL and 1048 MW by Singareni, and 5592 MW would be arranged through solar energy sources.

He said that about 15,500 MW would be required under the next 5-year plan. (INN)