Arun Singh
Jammu, Mar 12: The Irrigation Department has failed to make 4 Lift Irrigation Schemes (LIS’) in Akhnoor, Jammu functional which has put an investment of Rs 1.94 crore into jeopardy besides causing loss to farmers..The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its report for year ending 2013 revealed to provide assured irrigation facility to 188 hectares of agricultural land of four villages in tehsil Akhnoor district Jammu, the State Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) of the Department approved 4 LIS at an estimated cost of Rs 1.94 crore (LIS Kah: Rs 48 lakh, LIS Bhanara: Rs 67 lakh; LIS Phandwal: Rs 40 lakh and LIS Miari: Rs 39 lakh) for funding under the Government of India Scheme, 'Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme' (AIBP) in January 2008 and September 2008.
CAG found that all these schemes were completed at a cost of Rs 1.94 crore and commissioned/ tested successfully between April 2012 and July 2012 but could not be made functional as the operational staff was not deputed for operating the schemes. It further maintained that these schemes were to benefit a population of 537 souls and were targeted to be completed within two years (February/ October 2010). The Superintending Engineer, Hydraulic Circle, Jammu submitted the detailed project reports of these schemes to the Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Jammu for accord of administrative approval in February 2008 (LIS 'Kah', LIS 'Phandwal' and LIS 'Miari') and July 2008 (LIS 'Bhanara') which was awaited (June 2013).
The CAG report said during its scrutiny of records of Executive Engineer, Irrigation Division, Akhnoor showed that three schemes viz. LIS 'Kah', LIS 'Phandwal' and LIS 'Miari' were taken up for execution during the year 2008-09 while as LIS 'Bhanara' was taken up during the year 2009-10 without accord of administrative approval.
The schemes were to be handed over to the Executive Engineer, Mechanical Irrigation Division (MID) Akhnoor/ Nowshera by the Executive Engineer, Mechanical Irrigation Construction Division (MICD) Jammu for operation and maintenance. |
