Mumbai: The MVA government has asked the anti-corruption bureau to conduct an open investigation into 1,173 the work of the Government’s leading water conservation scheme Devendra Fadnivis, Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan (JSA).
It also directs the district collector to examine 6.3 other lakh work under the scheme and suggest whether they need an open investigation or an investigation department.
The government’s actions followed the submission of reports on the scheme by the 4 committee members led by retired Principal Bijay Kumar.
The Committee was established after the CAG report passed the stricture against the scheme in 2020, said it was ineffective.
The state government then decided to conduct an open investigation into works that reported irregularities.
The committee was intended to suggest which works to face investigations.
The Fadnavis government has spent Rs 9,634 Crore in five years in the scheme, which is intended to make the country’s drought.
It ended by the MVA government in 2020.
At that time, around 6.33 lakh works had been completed.
The Bijay Kumar committee was asked to examine 1,128 JSA works listed in the CAG report and also 671 complaints in the scheme received by the department.
His role is to suggest which of this is needed an open investigation because the accusation is more serious or the probe department.
It was also asked to recommend probes if needed in case of other work carried out by the scheme.
The committee submits its report in May and recommends that from 1,128 works listed in the CAG report, 626 cases require an open investigation and 298 requires an investigation department.
It also suggested that from 671 complaints at work received by the government, 305 cases require open investigation and 18 probes departments.
The state government received the report and decided that all 924 cases were tried by the committee examined from the CAG case require an open question from ACB.
It also decided that 249 other cases from complaints received by the government needed ACB probes.
The state also decided that the district collector must examine the remaining 6.31 lakh based on the scheme according to the parameters set by the Bijay Kumar committee.
The collectors have been asked to suggest whether one of these requires an open investigation or department investigation.
Parameters say open probes must be recommended in cases where there are tender deviations, state guidelines are not followed due to financial losses and misleading information or bills given.
Also, in cases where CSR funds or public donations are adjusted to official officials and accounts are not maintained.
Responding to the MVA decision, the former CM Devendra Fadnivis said, “We welcome the probe.
In fact, our government has started an investigation into 650 JSA works.
Clears for the scheme given at the level of collectors and seven departments apply the scheme.”