Mumbai: The Chief Minister has issued a new directive giving Irrigation Development Corporations (IDCs) the power to award work tenders. The executive directors of the IDCs will now have the authority to approve tenders worth ₹50 crore.
According to existing rules, tenders up to ₹25 lakh are approved by executive engineers, and those above ₹62.5 lakh by chief engineers and executive directors. Senior officials said the latest directive would bring greater transparency in the process of awarding tenders.
In 2014, the BJP accused the then ruling Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government of facilitating a ₹72,000-crore irrigation scam. The party came to power on the back of allegations against NCP leaders of hiking original projects costs by over 300 times and giving out of turn approvals for additional expenditure on projects within three months of the third quarter of 2009.
The scam led to the resignation of the then deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and filing of FIRs for cost escalations of over ₹20,000 crore in 38 irrigation projects of the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation. The Chief Minister in a recent meeting gave Revised Administrative Approval for nine major projects in Tarli, Kudali, Gadnadi, Aruna, Nardave, Norna, Lower Wardha, Bembla and Lower Pedhi.
A senior secretary, on condition of anonymity, said, “He directed the finance and planning departments to assign greater financial powers to the IDCs.”
The Opposition said the BJP accused previous governments of cost escalation, but it is equally lax in approving revised estimates of projects. NCP spokesperson Nawab Mallik said, “Within four years, Irrigation Minister Girish Mahajan has approved revised estimates for 307 irrigation projects. The cost escalation is around ₹40,000 crore. Going by the BJP’s own yardstick, this too is an irrigation scam. The new powers might bring transparency but the government must keep a watch on the IDCs.”
Policy changes
Under the new policy for major irrigation projects, the Chief Minister also issued orders on acquisition of land, fast-tracking direct purchase of land in western Maharashtra, shifting of project affected persons for Lower Pedhi, Aruna and Dham projects.
