Huge pendency: Maharashtra water conservation dept to scrap projects worth Rs 2,000 cr
The government has already spent around Rs 11,000 crore and requires at least Rs 10,000 crore more to complete the projects.
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On April 28, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a review of the corporation’s work where the issue of growing pendency was discussed in detail. (ANI Photo)The pendency of projects worth Rs 10,000 crore under the water conservation department over a decade and its growing liability has not only restricted the department to take up the new projects, but also forced it to scrap projects worth at least Rs 2,000 crore on which work has not yet begun.
The Maharashtra Water Conservation Corporation under the department undertakes various small-scale water conservation schemes with the capacity of 0 to 600 hectare irrigation potential, such as minor irrigation pond, KT weir, storage lake, percolation tank, lift irrigation scheme, etc. A total of 9,800 of such works costing Rs 21,000 crore have been pending from 2000-01 to 2024-25. The government has already spent around Rs 11,000 crore and requires at least Rs 10,000 crore more to complete the projects.
On April 28, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a review of the corporation’s work where the issue of growing pendency was discussed in detail. Out of the pending ones, 6,948 works worth Rs 13,600 crore were sanctioned between 2022-23 and 2024-25, when Eknath Shinde was the Chief Minister.
However, around 20 projects worth Rs 225 crore from 2000-01 to 2005-06; 100 projects worth Rs 1,200 crore from 2006-07 to 2011-12; 184 projects worth Rs 800 crore from 2012-13 to 2017-18 and 2,550 projects worth Rs 4,200 crore from 2018-19 to 2021-22 are incomplete.
“It has been decided that several of these works will be cancelled. Those which are cleared but work has not begun will be called off. Even those which have received administrative approval or work order, but without any physical activity will also be cancelled. We are unable to take on new projects and the liability is growing. The total amount of cancelled projects will be around Rs 2,000 crore,” said an official who attended the meeting.
The Maharashtra government has decided to give preference to projects where 75 per cent physical work has been completed. Second preference will be given where 50 to 75 per cent work is completed. All other projects will be kept on hold.
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