CAG blames engineering officials for Rs 2,000 cr loss

• Irrigation project costs double in Nellore district
• Sangam barrage Jalayagnam project costs increased from Rs 118.60 cr in 2008 to to Rs 167 cror in 2013
• Somasila project costs increased to Rs 1,158 cr from the initial Rs 17 cr

Nellore: Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India in its report blamed the engineering department for failing to properly implement irrigation projects in Nellore district and thereby causing a loss of Rs 2,000 crores to the State government. The CAG said the cost and expenditure of several projects has been doubled due to the government and officials' negligence and delay in releasing funds for the same and it pointed out that amounts released were not spent for the project on several occasions. The CAG report revealed that Telugu Ganga project works were taken up with an expected construction cost of Rs 637 crores in the initial stages. However, the costs escalated to Rs 8,384 crores due to amendments and other drawbacks. Though the funds were released, only Rs 4,122 crores were expended by the end of 2012, CAG stated. The estimated cost of Sangam barrage Jalayagnam project construction in 2008 was Rs 118.60 crores and now it has increased to Rs 167 crores. The cost of Somasila project, which was initiated with Rs 17 crores, has now increased to Rs 1,158 crores. CAG criticised not expending the Rs 206 crores funds released due to the high level efforts by the then MLAs Adala Prabhakar Reddy and Nallapareddy Prasanna Kumar Reddy. On the other hand, the Rs 9.5 crores, which were released during the last 10 years for the modernisation of Kanupuru Canal, were not spent till date. Only Rs 15 crores out of Rs 231 crores released were spent for the modernisation works of Swarnamukhi Talluru Canal. Even though the construction cost of Somasila and Swarnamukhi Link Canals was amended to Rs 437 crores, but only Rs 97 crores was spent till date. Meanwhile, the farmers of the district are hoping the CAG report on the irrigation projects in the district will push the officers concerned towards completing the projects, which will give life to the irrigation department.