Telangana has been spending low on the maintenance of irrigation projects against the budgetary provisions, while the expenditure on execution of the projects has been higher than the allocations made, observed the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the State’s financial accounts for 2020-21.
Expenditure on the maintenance of irrigation project was just 14.19% in 2020-21 as a small amount of ₹39.85 crore was spent for the purpose although the voted allocation was ₹280.81 crore. Similarly, the expenditure on maintenance of irrigation projects was low during the previous year (2019-20) too compared to budgetary provisions.
“Huge savings on Legislature-authorised budget for maintenance of irrigation projects indicates that intended maintenance was not carried out and this could also lead to non-performance of the projects to the envisaged level”, the CAG report observed.
Of the voted revenue expenditure for the maintenance of projects, ₹11.47 crore was spent on J. Chokka Rao Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme, ₹3.18 crore on Chowtpally Hanmantha Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, ₹1.13 crore on Srisailam Left Bank canal, ₹1.01 crore on Rajiv Bheema Lift Irrigation Scheme and ₹12.57 crore on other projects. The low spending resulted in savings of ₹240.96 crore but it could lead to under-performance of the projects.
On the other hand, the CAG report found that ₹966.21 crore expenditure in excess of the voted allocation made in the budget was made in respect of 20 projects. The audit report pointed out that ₹790.86 crore excess expenditure was made in case of Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, ₹47.93 crore in case of Sriramsagar Project, ₹40.12 crore on Srisailam Left Bank Canal, ₹18.03 crore on Kalwakurthi Lift Irrigation Scheme and ₹10.47 crore on Nagarjunasagar Project.
However, huge amounts were not spent, compared to the budgetary provisions, on a few major projects. The CAG pointed out that ₹4,076.82crore was spent on Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project against the budgetary provision of ₹7,952.34 crore, ₹122.13 crore was spent on Sita Rama Lift Irrigation Scheme against the voted allocation of ₹931.69 crore and ₹114.80 crore was spent on J. Chokka Rao Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme out of ₹307.42 crore provided for in the budget.
Further, the audit report observed that huge capital expenditure of ₹1,44,399 crore was incurred as of March 2021 on the ongoing irrigation projects.
