File Pic: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis reviewing the jalyukta shivar project at village Lambota in Nilanga taluka at district Latur.
Mumbai: Terming the allegations levelled by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as improper, BJP minister Ram Shinde said that information of irregularities in Jalyukt Shivar scheme should have been shared before the state cabinet rather than being leaked in the media.
Speaking to media persons on Tuesday, Shinde said, “Uddhav-ji has made allegations of corruption in the Jalyukt Shivar scheme which is improper. The Sena is part of our government and, therefore, if he did have some crucial information, it should have been shared with the state cabinet before going to the media directly.”
After Thackeray’s allegations, the state government has asked Ratnagiri collector to submit the report by Tuesday evening.
Shinde told the media that he was expecting it anytime and said Sena too is accountable and cannot shirk responsibility.
“Whoever is found guilty will have to face strict action. However, Sena cannot distance itself from anything happening in the state, as they too are a part of the government,” Shinde said.
“The Sena president should therefore adopt a responsible stance over such issues,” he added.
Shinde said that the projects under Jalyukt Shivar project need to be sanctioned by gram sabhas and a project report has to be submitted after visiting the area. “After obtaining reports from the tehsildars and deputy collectors, the district collectors will give the final approval. Hence this scheme is a very transparent one,” he said.
Shinde claimed that the project is CM Devendra Fadnavis’s dream project and that is why it is under constant scrutiny.
He said, “Such allegations of any substandard work or irregularities cannot take place.”
Thackeray had questioned the difference between alleged irrigation scams in the previous government and Jalyukt Shivar abhiyan. He had said on Monday that it is not a good sign, if corruption were to happen in Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s pet project.
Thackeray’s comments come in the backdrop of the allegations of corruption amounting to Rs 10 crore in Konkan region by senior Sena leader Ramdas Kadam.
According to Kadam, work done under the water conservation scheme in Ratnagiri’s Dapoli, Khed and Mandangadh is only on paper and there is no actual work to be seen on the ground. Yet, bills of the bogus work have been cleared by officials.
