Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil seeks probe into Jalyukt Shivar 'scam'

Alleging irregularities to the tune of Rs 4,800 crore in the BJP-led Maharashtra government's flagship 'Jalyukt Shivar' scheme, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil Wednesday demanded an inquiry into the "scam". He said a panel of water experts should be appointed and the inquiry should be constituted under the Commissions of Inquiry Act.

The Congress leader was speaking in the Lower House of the state Legislature over the debate on drought situation in the state. "Of the Rs 8,000 crore spent on the government's flagship scheme to create water storage in the state, there were irregularities to the tune of Rs 4,800 crore," he alleged.

Vikhe Patil said that in the last three years, 5.5 lakh works of Jalyukt Shivar were completed in 16,000 villages. "Rs 8,000 crore were spent and it was announced that 235 TMC to 250 TMC water was available," he said.

The government has claimed that groundwater level has increased by three metres, but the latest survey report says groundwater table has actually depleted. Vikhe Patil said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had tweeted about Mohkhed village in Buldhana district having abundant water owing to the Jalyukt Shivar scheme. "But I visited that village and people there complained about depleted groundwater and said drinking water had to be supplied by tankers," he said.

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