WE THE PEOPLE
Several Divisions of J&K Irrigation Deptt have taken up Schemes costing Rs 41.12 crores without AA& TS
Hence people seek concerned Minister's intervention, demand probe to bring financial discipline in the Department
By: M. Shirjeel
Srinagar: In continuation to our series, we deem it fit to state that Irrigation and Flood control Department was created in 1959 with the objective of providing assured irrigation facilities to cultivable/cultivated land in the State by renovation/modernization of the existing canals and construction of new canals. The Department is also responsible for construction of lift irrigation schemes besides their maintenance, up gradation and modernization. But it has come to light that four Lift Schemes completed at a cost of Rs. 3.86 crore cultivated only 19 per cent of the envisaged area besides unplanned execution of works has resulted in unfruitful expenditure of Rs. 4.27 crore.Time overrun on execution of schemes has ranged between 1 and 31 years while cost overrun ranged up to Rs. 33.86 crore. This has resulted due to weak internal control mechanism of the Department. We have already pointed out that even with huge investment, Tral, Rafiabad and Rajpora Lift Schemes have failed to achieve targeted benefits Besides scores of Schemes costing Rs 41.12 crores are reported to have been executed without Administrative Approval (AA) and Technical Sanction (TS).
A detailed scrutiny of the records has divulged that LIS Siot Nowshere Scheme constructed at a cost of Rs 42.01 lakh was converted into a gravity scheme after incurring an expenditure of Rs. 80.22 lakh. The gravity scheme made functional in 2003 could not provide dependable irrigation to the farmers due to leakages in the canal due to which, potential of only 438 hectares was created against envisaged CCA of 1,163 acres. The Department had not incorporated the degraded components in the project report of the scheme formulated for conversion. It has further been seen that when the work of conversion of the scheme was in hand, the pumping unit of the scheme was replaced in February 2003 at a cost of Rs. 25.29 lakh, which functioned only for 8 months and thereafter remained idle due to the said conversion.
Similarly LIS, Bardoh was taken up during1999-2000 at an estimated cost of Rs. 2.53 crore to provide irrigation to 1,055 acres of land by March 2003. The scheme envisaged an increase of 25,112 quintals in agricultural produce. But scrutiny of the records of the EE, ID Akhnoor revealed that after incurring Rs. 2.38 crore on procurement of machinery and part construction of civil work, the contractor to whom the work had been allotted abandoned the work. No action was taken by the EE to re-allot the balance work. Consequently the machinery purchased for the scheme could also not be installed.
Another LIS Aijpur Trewa at an estimated cost: Rs. 2.55 crore was taken up during 2003-04 by the MICD Jammu under AIBP to create 1,400 acres of irrigation potential with an envisaged increase in agricultural produce by 47,345 quintals. But examination of the records has revealed that out of the release of Rs. 54 lakh in December 2006, an expenditure of Rs. 24.08 lakh had been incurred on purchase of machinery, POL, hire charges, etc. whereas the balance amount of Rs. 29.92 lakh had been kept in civil deposit. The machinery could not be installed due to dispute with the contractor regarding the standard of civil work carried out by him.
Besides the shortfall in realization of abaina has been found to be very high and ranged between 68 and 76 per cent. The increasing trend in outstanding abaina indicates lack of establishment of a viable recovery mechanism in the Department.
Financial rules provide that no work should be taken up without administrative approval (AA) and technical sanction (TS), but scrutiny of the records of four EEs have taken up works without approval namely Mechanical ID, Anantnag: Rs. 5.11 crore ; Srinagar: Rs. 7.45 crore ; Shopian: Rs. 2.91 crore and Pulwama: Rs. 1.90 crores.
The Chief Engineer, Jammu has revealed that 55 schemes were taken up for execution without AA/TS on which expenditure of Rs. 23.75 crore had been incurred. The concerned EEs have stated that works were taken up since funds had been provided and the matter would be taken up with competent authorities. Mere allotment of funds does not authorize the EEs to incur expenditure in anticipation of accord of AA/TS.
Hence people seek concerned Minister's intervention, demand probe to bring financial discipline in the Irrigation& flood Control Departments of J&K.
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