HYDERABAD: The state government’s flagship programme, Mission Kakatiya, has failed to achieve the targets in the first three phases, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India has reported.
Mission Kakatiya, the name given to the government’s ambitious programme to rejuvenate local water bodies, aimed to cover all 46,531 tanks in the state in five years in five phases i.e, 20 per cent per year. Three phases were taken up as of August 2017.
According to the observations of CAG, the target for phase-1 was unrealistic. There were delays in completion of phase-1 works ranging from 20 to 549 days. Consequently, progress in phase-2 and phase-3 of the Mission Kakatiya was low with 14 and zero per cent respectively.
Chief engineer (minor irrigation) was instructed to restore 9,363 tanks in 2014-15 in phase-1 within three months. The target of covering 20 per cent of tanks within three months was unrealistic as the entire gamut of processes from administrative approval to execution was to be completed within three months’ time. The delay in the execution of phase-1 works ranged from 20 to 549 days in respect of 69 (66 pc) out of 104 test-checked.
Only 14 pc of works taken up in phase-2 was completed and only 25 per cent of the targeted tanks in phase-3 were taken up and none of the tanks was completed as on September 2017. In all the three phases put together, the department could complete only 28 per cent of the tanks targeted.
An important aim of the Mission Kakatiya was to bring back the gap ayacut (the difference between irrigation potential created and utilised) of 10 lakh acres into irrigation. However, there was no mention of the details of gap ayacut in the estimates of individual works.
Removal of silt was one of the main components of Mission Kakatiya. There was an average shortfall of 33 per cent in the removal of silt in 27 test-checked tanks. Prioritisation of works was not in accordance with the guidelines.
CAG says Telangana borrowing more money to repay old debts
TSRTC wasted Rs 1.39 crore in women safety measures: CAG
Six Public Sector Undertakings incurred Rs 21,472 cr loss in Telangana: CAG
CAG says T-Hub irregularities cost Telangana government Rs 16.7 crore
CAG blames poor government machinery for exorbitant school fees