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Journalism of Courage
Failure of the ministries of water resources and agriculture to agree on a formula forced the government to skip mentioning in the state economic survey and budget 2013-14 the irrigation potential created in 2012-13.
The ministry of agriculture takes into account actual area irrigated,while the water department considers irrigation potential created as the base for growth.
Deputy CM and finance minister Ajit Pawar said,The government deliberately avoided giving statistics on land brought under irrigation through projects in the last one year as there is no foolproof formula in place.
The special investigation team (SIT) headed by Madhav Chitale will be asked to evolve a formula to simplify the mechanism of ascertaining the irrigation potential created annually.
Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has agreed to leave the matter to SIT.
The ministry of agriculture has returned the file to the chief minister office stating,As per records we stand by our stated position of land covered under irrigation as 0.1 percentage as indicated in the economic survey last year. Since the state is reeling from drought the possibility of bringing more land under irrigation potential is unlikely. There could be marginal increase which will not make much difference to the existing numbers.
Ignoring the department of agriculture the state government took into account information provided by the water resources department to state facts for 2011-12,but it remained silent on progress in irrigation sector in 2012-13.
According to the ministry of finance,till recently,the irrigation potential was measured on the basis of information provided by the ministry of agriculture,which would also rely on the ministry of revenue.
Water resources,agriculture and revenue departments would work as a team. However,last year differences between the departments came to the fore and the dispute has not been settled despite the intervention of CM and dyCM.
Agriculture minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said,We stand by our position as our method to evaluate irrigation potential is based on actual irrigated area,which does not exceed 0.1 percentage.
The gap between irrigation potential and actual irrigation area is being held responsible for the differences.
Cant figure it out
* Irrigation potential created in 2011-12 32.52 lakh hectares
* Irrigation potential created in 2010-11 29.55 lakh hectares
* Government noncommittal on 2012-13 figure
