Nagpur,Dec 17: The Maharashtra government on Monday announced a probe by Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the alleged multi-crore irrigation scam.
“The SIT probe will be headed by Madhav Chitaley, an irrigation expert, and the terms and references of the probe would be finalised by December 31,” Minister for Water Resources Sunil Tatkare told the State Assembly today, in the presence of Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.
The Opposition had stalled the proceedings of the House last week while demanding a probe by SIT following a white paper presented by the State government on irrigation projects in the State, particularly Vidarbha.
Leader of Opposition Eknath Khadse, while welcoming the SIT probe, demanded that the terms and references be made known and also demanded that the officers allegedly facing corruption charges should be excluded from the probe team.
MNS group leader Bala Nandgaokar and PWP's Ganpatrao Deshmukh also welcomed the probe and demanded that a time frame be set to finalise the report.
Following allegations of irregularities in the irrigation projects in the State, NCP leader Ajit Pawar had resigned as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
However, after the government presented the white paper over the projects, Mr Pawar returned to the State Cabinet as Deputy Chief Minister earlier this month.
