State govt shunts out secy, bans irrigation cost hikes

On the back foot over allegations of massive corruption in the irrigation sector, the state government has shunted out controversial water resou-rces secretary DP Shirke, even as it banned cost escalation in irrigation projects.

On the back foot over allegations of massive corruption in the irrigation sector, the state government has shunted out controversial water resou-rces secretary DP Shirke, even as it banned cost escalation in irrigation projects.

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Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Monday handed over Shirke’s charge as secretary of water resources-II to IAS officer V Giriraj, paving way for an IAS officer to head the department after 35 years.

Shirke is facing a departmental inquiry over allegations of having unilaterally cleared cost escalations in irrigation projects as the former chief of Vidarbha Irrigation Develop-ment Corporation.

In another significant move, the state water resources department has put an embargo on clauses in the Maharashtra Public Works manual which allowed for cost escalations.

Now, for any increase in the scope of work, a separate tender will have to be issued, and barring some exceptions, no cost escalation over the permissible 10% will be allowed.