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| In 4 yrs, I&FC cedes Rs 24 cr flood fund for Srinagar | | Flood threat in Valley | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, June 30: The erstwhile PDP-BJP government failed to constitute a high level inquiry into the huge fund lapsed by Irrigation & Flood Control Department under the Prime Minister's Development Programme (PMDP).
In Srinagar division alone, Rs 24 crore was surrendered during last four years, but not even a single inquiry was conducted by the former PDP-BJP government.
Early Times has been continuing its crusade against fund lapses and surrenders. Last year, Early Times filed several reports on the issue. The Irrigation Division Srinagar had been exposed for its wrongdoings as it surrendered more than Rs 24 cr during three financial years (2015-2017). The funds were mostly meant for restoration of the Jhelum and many small canals across Srinagar.
As the flood threat again looms in Srinagar and major towns of the Valley, the I&FC Department has been caught on the wrong foot and people are demanding that Governor must order for an inquiry into these huge lapses.
Crores of rupees got lapsed from 2014 to 2016. Out of these funds 7 to 8 crore rupees were revalidated, but rest of the amount according to sources got lapsed. During the financial year 2016 -17 an amount of Rs 10.64 cr was surrendered by the Executive Engineer Irrigation & FC division Srinagar out of Rs 15.90 cr that was meant for flood management programme.
In addition to it out of Rs 24.64 cr, Rs 6.12 cr got lapsed out of Capex budget under PMDP and SDRF. This information was revealed by the I&FC department in response to an RTI filed by activist Raja Muzaffar Bhat.
In 2014-15 out of Rs 8.70 cr, Rs 5.45 cr got lapsed, but according to the RTI reply this amount was revalidated in 2015-16.
During last three financial years, Rs 8 cr got lapsed in Irrigation division Jammu only. The details which have been obtained under RTI Act a copy of which lies with Early Times reveals that Rs 595.10 lakhs were surrendered by the Irrigation Division in 2014-2015 out of PMs package wherein Rs 1504 lakhs were allocated to this division. Out of this allocated money, Rs 909.84 lakhs could only be spent by the department. In 2015 -16 almost Rs 1.30 crores were surrendered out of PMs package meant specially for Tawi Island Barrage.
"In 2016-17 an amount of almost 8 crore remained unspent out of Rs 14 crores allotment. It is not clear whether this amount was surrendered or not. If funds lapsed in 2014-15 were revalidated by Irrigation division Srinagar, what about Rs 16 crore plus that got lapsed during last financial year 2016-17?" asked Mushtaq Khan, RTI activist from Srinagar. |
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