Devendra Fadnavis, when he was chief minister, had aggressively promoted the 'Jalyukt Shivar' scheme
Latching onto the CAG's adverse remarks about 'Jalyukt Shivar' scheme, the NCP and Congress on Wednesday targeted BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis.
Mr Fadnavis, when he was chief minister, had aggressively promoted the scheme which aimed at rain harvesting and water conservation at the village level.
But the Comptroller and Auditor General's report, tabled in the state Assembly on Tuesday, said it had little impact on raising the groundwater level and was executed in a non-transparent way.
A sum of Rs 9,633.75 crore was spent on the scheme, it said.
State NCP chief and minister Jayant Patil said even the CAG report had said that like the BJP's other promises, the Jalyukt Shivar too was "Mungerilal ke haseen sapne" (a pipe dream).
"When in opposition, we repeatedly said that the Jalyukt Shivar scheme will not be useful, that there is a big scam in it. A false campaign was on through advertisements about Jalyukt Shivar. Now, the CAG report has burst the bubble of fraud," he said.
State Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said the CAG has endorsed his allegations.
"I kept pointing out the massive scam in Jalyukt Shivar... The CAG report has affirmed my claim. Fadnavis must take responsibility and resign as Leader of Opposition," Mr Sawant said in a statement.