MUMBAI: Citing irregularities, Maharashtra government has scrapped 128 irrigation projects with collective budget of Rs 624.28 crore, sanctioned by the previous Congress-NCP government in the last four months of its tenure.
"Tenders for these projects were not received through the e-tendering method. They were sanctioned hurriedly in the last four months before the model code of conduct for the Assembly elections came into force," Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan told PTI.
The government had also directed the anti-corruption bureau to conduct enquiry into 14 other projects, 12 of them in Konkan region, he said.
"We could save this money (Rs 624.28 crore) because work orders had not been passed yet. A large number of big-ticket projects seemed useless," he said.
Mahajan alleged that bureaucrats were under pressure during the earlier regime to give green signal to projects.
"I have received a lot of complaints from bureaucrats that they were under immense pressure to quietly give nod for the projects," he said, alleging that projects worth more than Rs 50 lakh were not cleared unless a former minister gave his approval.
"Once we are through with the enquiries, we will not spare any political leader. However big the leader may be, he or she will have to face the law," Mahajan added.