MVA govt doesn't work with vengeance: NCP minister on Jalyukt

The MVA government does not work with the sentiment of "vengeance", Maharashtra minister Hasan Mushrif said on Friday, two days after the Uddhav Thackeray- led dispensation decided to probe the Jalyukt Shivar scheme launched by the previous Devendra Fadnavis regime.

The MVA government does not work with the sentiment of "vengeance", Maharashtra minister Hasan Mushrif said on Friday, two days after the Uddhav Thackeray- led dispensation decided to probe the Jalyukt Shivar scheme launched by the previous Devendra Fadnavis regime. Speaking to reporters, Mushrif, who is Rural Development Minister, said the decision to conduct the probe by a special investigation team (SIT) was taken following the CAG's adverse report about the water conservation scheme.

"Did we ask the CAG to give such a report? Our government does not work with the sentiment of vengeance," the NCP leader said, while replying to a question on the BJP's allegation that there was "political vendetta" behind the decision. "It has been 11 months since the Uddhav Thackeray government was formed. Where has it acted with vendetta? Show us an example," Mushrif added.

The 'Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyaan', a pet project of Fadnavis, was launched in 2014 with the objective of making Maharashtra drought-free by 2019. It involved deepening and widening of streams, construction of cement and earthen stop dams, work on nullahs and digging of farm ponds. Shiv Sena, whose president Uddhav Thackeray is now the state chief minister, was also a part of the Fadnavis-led government during 2014-2019.

However, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its report submitted to the state legislature last month had observed that the scheme, under which Rs 9,633.75 crore were spent, was not much effective. It had little impact in achieving water neutrality and increasing the ground water level and its execution was characterized by lack of transparency, the CAG had said.

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