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Publish Date : 10-Feb-2015

The BJP-led state government has cancelled nearly 128 tenders for projects worth Rs624.28 crore, in a move to curtail irregularities and scams in the state’s irrigation projects. The tenders were awarded couple of months before the Assembly elections. Also, the government sanctioned an anti-corruption bureau (ACB) probe in 12 other irrigation projects in Konkan, following claim from the water resources department to have discovered major irregularities in them.

According to officials from the department, they witnessed major irregularities, especially in the tendering procedure. The proper procedure of inviting e-tenders was not followed and the tenders were approved in a hurried manner. Forest and environmental approvals were not received in certain cases, while in other cases, tenders were called for projects that did not require them.
According to water resources minister Girish Mahajan, the tenders were allotted four months before the Assembly elections. Mahajan added, “The tenders were called without allowing fair competition among the contractors and were allotted above the quoted amount. Since the work orders were not issued, money was not released and hence the state’s coffers suffered no loss.”

The Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation invited 57 tenders, the highest number of tenders worth around Rs237.60 crore, followed by 47 tenders by Krishna Valley Development Corporation worth Rs286.22 crore. Three other irrigation corporations invited 24 tenders for various projects worth Rs100.46 crore. Earlier, the minister had scrapped projects worth Rs1,100 crore soon after it assumed charge of the department claiming due procedure was not adhered with. Investigations were ordered, with which irregularities were discovered with 128 tenders, which were eventually scrapped.

Mahajan on Thursday announced that the tenders will be reissued after thorough review. He added, “Tenders for projects worth more than Rs3 lakh are called online. We will follow the correct procedure while re-allotting them. Unlike the previous government, we will follow the post-qualification process. The earlier tenders were awarded on a pre-qualification basis, favoring certain contractors. Our priority will be to complete the irrigation projects that are almost finished rather than kick-start new ones.” Tenders were allocated during the tenure of former water resources ministers Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare, he added.

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