Expressing concern over the growing number of irrigation projects that are not being completed on time, a parliamentary panel has asked the Ministry of Water Resources not to sanction new projects of states till the older ones are completed.In its ninth report on the demand for grants, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources said the Planning Commission and the Water Resources Ministry should act tough on the states not completing their approved projects on time.There were as many as 514 irrigation projects that had spilled over from the Ninth plan to the Eleventh plan.“The Committee, therefore, recommend that the Planning Commission and the Ministry give a careful thought on putting a cap on the number of new projects that could be proposed by the state Governments as in the case of funding of AIBP (Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme) projects, where the Ministry gives sanction for inclusion of a new project only if one of the on-going projects has been completed,” the report said.“The specious plea of the Ministry that it acts as a facilitator and provides assistance /guidance as and when necessary to the state governments who plan, execute and maintain the water resources projects, is unacceptable,” it said.It also pulled up the ministry for underachieving its targets for creating additional irrigation potential in the country.
