Fake govt order issued before Assembly polls leads to infra works worth crores, probe begins

Indian Express

18 hours ago

Maharashtra's Rural Development Department (RDD) is probing a fake Government Resolution (GR) issued just days prior to the 2024 state Assembly polls leading to infrastructure works worth crores. The department has asked all Zilla Parishads in the state and all Superintending Engineers of Public Works Department (PWD) to not act on the said GR as it has already led to the tendering and sanctioning of works worth at least Rs 6.94 crore in Ahilyanagar district of western Maharashtra.
The RDD has a budget head called 2515 1238 which deals with providing basic amenities to villages as suggested by elected representatives.
On October 3, 2024, just prior to the Assembly polls, a GR was issued sanctioning developmental works worth Rs 6.94 crore for Ahilyanagar district under the above-mentioned budget head. Based on the said GR, tenders were issued at the district level.
The 25/15 scheme implemented in rural Maharashtra by the RDD is an important scheme for carrying out various development works according to local needs. Under this scheme, infrastructure works such as village roads, drains, Pandan roads (roads leading to farms), roads connecting cemeteries, public toilets, Gram Panchayat office repairs, gymnasiums, market stalls are mainly undertaken. These works are carried out at a cost of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25/30 lakh each on the recommendation of the local MLA.
At the district level, the works are implemented through the Zilla Parishad or the Public Works Department. Under the scheme, works worth Rs 1,500 to 2,000 crores are carried out in the state in a year.
'When the contractors sought payment of works done, the file of the same was noticed by officials in Mantralaya who cross-checked with the issued GRs. It was found that no such GR was ever issued on October 3. It was a work of forgery and cheating. The payment was stopped and departmental inquiry was ordered,' said a senior official from the RDD.
On March 28, 2025, the RDD issued circular to all ZPs and the PWD's all Superintending Engineers about the existence of fake GR and to be remain careful while sanctioning works at local level. The circular stated, 'The correspondence from the state government's official e-mail id of [e-mail] should only be considered official regarding the budget head 2515 1238.' The circular also advised to immediately contact the RDD in case of any doubt regarding any GR. It also advised to initiate criminal proceedings.
The Assembly elections were held last year. The Central Election Commission implemented the model code of conduct (MCC) for the elections from October 15. Before MCC, developmental works worth thousands of crores of rupees were approved by the state government through all government departments and government decisions for the works were published in a hurry. 'It seems someone took advantage of this. As of now, we have come to know about one district alone. We do not know how many such GRs were issued and whether they were used in other districts,' the officer added. In Ahilyanagar district, the fake government decision has led to as many as 45 development works in four talukas namely Ahilyanagar, Parner, Shrigonda and Nevasa.