CM bets high on irrigation

In the report submitted to the CM,the department says,“More than 500 irrigation projects have been completed in the last three years and irrigation potential created goes up to 5.95 lakh hectares.”

Documents sourced from the water resources department state,“Additional irrigation potential of 5.95 lakh hectares has been created in the last five years. This has contributed to enhancing agricultural productivity and farmers’ access to water. Similarly,more than 500 projects have been completed in the last three years. Various initiatives taken for water management by the state government have resulted in increasing the actual utilisation of created irrigation potential to 67%.”

Interestingly,a Special Investigation Team is currently probing the alleged multi-crore irrigation scam during the tenure of Ajit Pawar.

Although the agriculture department is still disputing Tatkare’s claims of a five per cent increase in the state’s irrigation potential,the CM has decided to highlight it as one of his government’s achievements.