Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 6: Notwithstanding the fact that proper utilization of funds for the developmental works is of immense importance in view the State’s dependence on the Central assistance, two key departments of the State Government-Irrigation and Flood Control and Public Works (Roads and Buildings) have made unfruitful expenditure of over Rs 20 crore. This is also an indication of poor planning and lack of coordination within these departments.
Making these revelations in its latest report, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India said that to provide irrigation facilities to cultivable command area comprising of 160 hectares of agriculture land of three villages in Akhnoor tehsil, the Executive Engineer, Irrigation Division proposed a project at a cost of Rs 1.89 crore which included provision of Rs 23.44 lakh for acquisition of land.
The project was approved by the State Level Technical Advisory Committee for funding under the Government of India scheme-Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme and was targeted to be completed within two years from 2008 onwards. After the completion the project was to provide assured irrigation to agriculture land of the farmers to improve their socio-economic conditions.
After the approval of the project, the Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Jammu released Rs 1.81 crore during 2009-10 and 2010-11. However, instead of taking up execution of the project, the Executive Engineer incurred expenditure on procurement of stores (Rs 1.32 crore), improvement of existing channels/allied works (Rs 46.25 lakh) and miscellaneous items (Rs 2.80 lakh), the report said, adding the Executive Engineer without acquisition of land required for construction of dam allotted its work to the contractor in January 2010 at a cost of Rs 28.69 lakh. As a result of this, the locals in possession of land didn’t allow the contractor to start the work and no action was taken by the department despite the position being brought to its notice by the contractor.
Due to this, the execution of the project suffered and deprived the farmers of the area of the intended benefits of the project. Moreover, the failure of the Executive Engineer to provide encumbrance free land before allotment of work to the contractor resulted in unfruitful expenditure of Rs 49.05 lakh and locking up of Rs 1.32 crore. “Though the matter was referred to the Government in June 2012 the reply had not been received till December 2012”, the CAG said.
Similarly, the fate of irrigation-cum-water storage scheme in Kathua district aimed at generating irrigation potential for 4,130 hectares of land by way of constructing two concrete weirs/check dams at a cost of Rs 17.24 crore, guide bunds at Rs 4.15 crore and diversion channel at a cost of Rs 1.13 crore remained hanging in balance due to failure of the departmental authorities to ensure encumbrance free land for the project before the allotment of work to the contractor.
“This resulted into continuing unfruitful investment of Rs 13.69 crore besides denial of intended benefits of the project to the populace of the area”, the report said while disclosing that out of an amount of Rs 20.40 crore released for the project, an expenditure of Rs 13.69 crore was incurred during the period from 2008-09 to 2011-12 leaving unspent balance of Rs 6.71 crore.
The report said that to provide timely and assured irrigation facilities to the cultivable area of 283 hectares of land in Mandla village of Basohli tehsil, a Lift Irrigation Scheme estimated to cost Rs 4.44 crore was approved in September 2008 for execution under Accelerated Irrigation and Benefit Programme.
The project, which involved construction of pump house (Rs 1.21 crore), installation of Vertical Turbine Pump sets (2.29 crore) and other allied works to lift water from Ranjeet Sagar Dam on River Ravi, was to be completed within a period of three years. An amount of Rs 5.02 crore was released during 2009-10 and 2011-12 in favour of Executive Engineer, Irrigation Division, Kathua under the scheme.
However, the tenders for construction of pump house invited in December 2009 were not responded to despite being extended three times between January and February 2010. The construction through an alternative design was also found un-economical and non-feasible by a private agency, which was engaged for the task after the Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation expressed its inability to execute this work.
In anticipation of finalization of design and structure of pump house, the Executive Engineer concerned incurred an expenditure of Rs 3.53 crore during 2009-12 and surrendered Rs 1.48 crore as further work on the project could not be executed due to failure of the authorities to finalize the design of the pump house for about four years.
“This resulted into unfruitful expenditure of Rs 2.91 crore and denied intended benefits of the scheme to the people of the area”, the CAG said.
As far as Public Works (Roads and Buildings) Department is concerned, the CAG has detected that due to the failure of the departmental authorities to ensure availability of land free from encumbrance to the contractors before taking up of construction of two roads in Kathua district under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) resulted into unproductive expenditure of Rs 1.42 crore.
These roads—one in village Dhanna and another in Barnoti block were taken up under PMGSY in order to provide connectivity to large population but due to the slackness of the R&B Department road connectivity could be ensured despite such a huge expenditure. “Despite unfruitful expenditure the senior officers of the Department didn’t take corrective measures till December 2012”, the CAG pointed out.
The report said that in order to provide road connectivity of Katra town with Domel-Katra road through four villages, construction of motorable bridge over Magal Nullah along with approaches at an estimated cost of Rs 1.50 crore was taken up by the R&B Department.
However, before acquiring land for approach roads the concerned Executive Engineer allotted construction of bridge and an amount of Rs 73.40 lakh was also expended. The bridge was completed in March 2009 but the issue of approach roads remained un-settled till December 2012 despite taking up of issue by the CAG with the concerned authorities.
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