Irrigation Department Rebuttal News Of Corruption In 100 Dams Project

The spokesperson of Irrigation Department has contradicted a news story published in some media outlets that the corruption and embezzlement has revealed in the 100 Dams project

QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd May, 2024) The spokesperson of Irrigation Department has contradicted a news story published in some media outlets that the corruption and embezzlement has revealed in the 100 Dams project.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, he said that the published story was a part of the 10-year audit report, in which it was stated that there was widespread corruption and embezzlement in 100 dam project. The mentioned audit paras were settled in the departmental audit committee but due to misunderstanding between the departments, these paras were mentioned in the media report, he added.

He said during the flood situation in 2022, the officers and staff of the Irrigation Department were engaged in serving the public in the field, due to which these paragraphs could not be settled in the DAC meeting and the issue could not resolved in time

He said there were 26 dams in the 100 dams project, which had a budget of RS 4.647 billion and these dams were to be completed in 3 years, but due to lack of timely issuance of funds, the dams were completed in 6 to 7 years. The spokesperson highlighted that no additional payments were made to the contractors as the work was delayed and funds were not released on time.

He said that these dams were not only completed at a cost of RS 4.325 billions, but RS 322 million was saved for the national exchequer through financial strategy, but this important achievement was not mentioned in the audit report.

He rejected the points highlighted in the report that the government has lost millions of rupees in terms of revenue generation through income tax collection from the project. He further expanded that the tribal areas of Balochistan including Zhob, Kohlu, Dera Bugti, Dalbandin and other areas have been exempted from taxes.

In addition to the objections raised in the audit report regarding the Balochistan Revenue Authority, the contractors have been given work in these taxes exemption areas. According to the finance act approved by the Balochistan government in 2023, which was implemented from 2017, while the contracts have been awarded in 2012, so this objection is also unjustified.

The spokesman said that after the publication of the news, the chief secretary has formed an inquiry committee in which we have submitted all the documents in this regard, while as soon as the public accounts committee of the Balochistan Assembly is formed, we will settle all these audits.