HYDERABAD: The state government on Wednesday refused to constitute a House committee to probe the alleged irregularities in the execution of Mission Bhagiratha, a scheme for piped drinking water supply to every household in the state.
During the debate on demands for grants for the ministry in the Assembly on Wednesday, Congress member Komatireddy Venkat Reddy alleged that excess payments to the tune of `10,000 crore were being made to AP contractors and demanded setting up of a House committee to investigate the ‘scam’. As the state government did not agree to constitute a House Committee, Congress members staged a walkout from the House.
Earlier, during the debate, Venkat Reddy alleged that the m
ain contractors, who got works, had sublet the works to sub-contractors at 45 per cent less price. “If the main contractors are eliminated and sub-contractors are given direct payment, the government could save crores,” he said.
The Congress member said he had the details of bank accounts and the list of contractors to prove his charge. “I have lodged a complaint with the State Vigilance Commission which is probing the allegations. I will also lodge complaints with Central Vigilance Commission and Central Bureau of Investigation against the irregularities in Mission Bhagiratha works,” Venkat Reddy said.
Reddy alleged that works worth around `30,000 crore were awarded by main contractors to sub-contractors at 30 pc less rates, which means a benefit of around `10,000 crore to AP contractors.
In his reply, municipal administration minister KT Rama Rao sarcastically said Congress members were interested in contracts and sub-contracts while the government was interested in supplying drinking water to every household. It was better for Congress to be people-centric rather than contractor-centric, he advised.
He refused to order a House committee probe into the ‘irregularities’ in Mission Bhagiratha.
“The Congress member already lodged a complaint with the Vigilance Commission. Let the probe continue. We are transparent in our mission. Mission Bhagiratha tenders were finalised for less amounts. We will not accept House Committee probe. The Congress member made same allegations in the last Assembly session and we clarified them,” KTR said.
However, leader of the opposition K Jana Reddy asked government to come clean on the matter by ordering a House committee probe. He announced that all Congress members were staging a walkout from the House in protest against government’s refusal to order a House committee probe.