The State government of Rajasthan has been advised to initiate stringent action in regard to the specific irregularities, which have been noticed, and to report compliance at the earliest.

    In the response of the recommendations made by the Special Team the Ministry has decided that the Schemes will, hereafter, be taken up keeping in view the cluster identified by Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI), adopting the index catchment approach. DRDAs have been instructed to coordinate with CAZRI to develop guidelines, which are suitable to the harsh environment characteristics of desert areas. DRDAs are to take care of coverage of whole villages while undertaking the work of additional cluster catchment schemes. The usage of tractors, being against the spirit of the Programme, would be drastically curtailed, if not stopped altogether. The Ministry has also instructed the maintenance of Measurement Books of works, proper muster rolls and cash vouchers by scheme implementing agencies.

    The Ministry has instructed the State authorities of Rajasthan to scrutinize the deficiencies reported in the Kiradu cluster catchment scheme and in the Rupasee, Baramasar and Akal cluster catchment schemes of Jaisalmer District within a month. The State government has been advised to review the special projects sanctioned for Sand Dune stabilization also and to review the projects implemented by the Forest department where in certain cases expenditure had gone upto almost Rs. 50,000 per hectare. Absence/inadequacy of botanical production technologies was also noticed for which the Watershed Development Committees ought to have made concerted efforts. Excessive emphasis appears to have been laid on entry point activities and civil structures relating to Khadin construction. The Ministry has asked for strengthening of Peoples’ participation and regular monitoring of all-round improvement in implementation and timely completion by the Implementation Agencies.

    It may be recalled that 461 projects worth Rs. 122.05 Crore are under implementation in Jaisalmer District and 311 projects worth Rs. 80.85 Crore in Barmer District. Rs 43 Crore have so far been utilised in Jaisalmer District and Rs. 37 Crore in Barmer District. These projects have been sanctioned from the year 1995-96 onwards on a yearly basis, and are required to be executed over a period of 5 years. Among these, few have reached advanced stage of completion and some are at a formative stage.

    The Special Team noted, among other things, that the Governing Bodies of DRDAs had substituted new cluster catchment schemes in place of those having community property resources (CPRs), without due examination. In the Rupasee scheme of Jaisalmer District, tractors were largely utilised for groundwork against the spirit of the Programme, which is to give employment to maximum number of needy villagers. The Watershed Committee also reported payments being made in excess. Disagreement was reported amongst various beneficiaries of the clusters for the Khadin Construction works in Baramsar Scheme where number of tractors was used.

    In Akal cluster Catchment scheme, it was found, the Watershed Development Committee had not been formed and the Project Implementation Agency that is the Forest Department, remained in charge of the Scheme; and the Measurement books revealed discrepancies between the work actually done and the payments made.

    In Barmer, the team visited the Keeradu, Jhelun and Kesumbla Bhatiyan cluster catchment schemes. At the Keeradu scheme, no work was caried out on 504 Hecatres of private agriculture land, although it was reported to have been treated. Only 100 hectares of land was treated at a cost of Rs. 25 lakh, which was considerably higher than the ceiling prescribed for the scheme. In the Kesumbla Bhatiyan scheme, the watershed development team was not fully constituted and forgery was detected in cash vouchers relating to tank construction.