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Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Congress govt under Baghel falsified Jal Jeevan data for 15 lakh households, Chhattisgarh Deputy CM says
Chhattisgarh's Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao stated in the Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday that the previous Congress government falsified data regarding household tap water connections. While the official portal indicated that 36 lakh households had a water supply by December 2023, only 21 million had actually received it, he said. Sao was responding to a question raised by former chief minister and incumbent MLA from Patan, Bhupesh Baghel, on the slow implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission in the state during the BJP rule since December 2023. Baghel said that the BJP government has failed to meet its target of supplying water to 49.98 lakh homes. 'In 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, during our rule, we allocated Rs 4,200 crore and Rs 5,374 crore respectively, and after your double-engine sarkar came, the budget came down to Rs 3,500 crore. Why did the budget come down when you are not able to meet your target?' Sao alleged that the Jal Jeevan Mission data was fudged to show 15 lakh additional households received water supply in Chhattisgarh during Baghel's term. 'The government of India has an IMIS portal where data has to be uploaded regarding work done on tap water connections. To show progress of work till December 2023, it was shown that 36 lakh households received tap water connection, but there was no verification done to find out if these households received water or not. Just statistics were shown. In June 2024, when we did verification, we found out that only 21 lakh households received water supply. In 15 lakh households, only a tap connection was given, but no water supply was provided. This was because you (the Congress government) took two years to start work on tubewells. But we are counting only those households where water supply has been provided. The mission was to complete in 2024, but now the central government has extended it.' Responding to Sao, Baghel said, 'You say that 21 lakh households received water supply till December 2023. As per your reply, in these 20 months, you provided water supply only to 10 lakh households, claiming the triple-engine sarkar is working fast. Now the question is whether these 10 lakh households have received water supply or this data is false too.' The issue led to a fracas in the assembly, with Congress MLAs saying the government scheme has not been implemented properly. Congress MLAs staged a walkout when Sao did not reply to a question on how many households received water supply till date this year.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Jal Jeevan Mission under fire: Accusing dy CM Sao of providing inaccurate info, Oppn MLAs walk out
Raipur: A fiery debate erupted in the Chhattisgarh Assembly on Tuesday regarding the progress and expenditure of the Jal Jeevan Mission, with the opposition alleging significant discrepancies in the reported figures and a slow pace of work under the current govt. The discussion began with a question from former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel seeking details on the expenditure and targets under the Jal Jeevan Mission. Deputy chief minister, who also heads the public works department, Arun Sao responded, providing district-wise expenditure details and stating that 31,16,398 households so far received tap water connections. Baghel then raised concerns, highlighting a drastic reduction in expenditure in several districts during the 2024-25 financial year compared to the previous two years. He pointed out that Raipur, Mungeli, Rajnandgaon, Janjgir, Jashpur, and Balrampur districts saw significantly lower spending. For example, Janjgir, which spent Rs 320 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 338 crore in 2022-23, only spent Rs 79 crore in 2024-25. Similarly, Koriya spent only Rs 43 crore in 2024-25, compared to Rs 135 crore earlier. Baghel also questioned the achievement of targets for tap connections, alleging severe shortfalls. The deputy chief minister clarified the expenditure figures, stating that Rs 4,203 crore was spent in 2022-23 (16% of the total project cost), Rs 5,474 crore in 2023-24 (20%), and Rs 3,522 crore in 2024-25 (14%). He added that till July 1, 2025, a total of Rs 15,045 crore, or approximately 57% of the project cost, was spent, and 31 lakh households are receiving tap water. He acknowledged that the project, originally slated for completion in 2024, was not completed on time. Sao attributed the varying performance across districts to the availability of resources and the pace of work. Sao further stated that the previous govt's 'e-mission' portal recorded 36 lakh tap connections by Dec 2023 for the purpose of showing progress, but a verification in June 2024 revealed that only 21 lakh households were actually receiving water. He accused the previous govt of merely installing connections and taps without ensuring water supply. He added that the current govt provided an additional 12,316 borewells to ensure water supply, and 3,836 villages now have complete tap water access. Out of approximately 29,000 projects, 5,017 projects are fully functional. Baghel further cornered the deputy chief minister, questioning the pace of work by the current govt. He said that based on the deputy chief minister's own figures, the current govt only provided 10 lakh connections in two years since taking office, while the previous govt provided 21 lakh connections. He asked for clarification on whether the 21 lakh figure truly represented households receiving water or if it was merely an inflated statistic. Other opposition MLAs, including Dilip Lahariya and Yashodamani Verma, interjected, claiming that the ground reality was different and that water was not reaching many villages. They alleged that the figures presented were false. Leader of Opposition Charan Das Mahant also joined in on the debate, highlighting that the current govt, in its 20-month tenure, completed only 7% of the Jal Jeevan Mission work, while the previous govt completed 73% by Dec 2023. . The deputy chief minister reiterated that the 21 lakh figure was from June 2024, which includes the work done in the first six months of the current govt's tenure. He stated that the govt gave approximately 10 lakh water connections with actual water supply since taking office. Unsatisfied with the deputy chief minister's response, the opposition MLAs, led by Baghel, staged a walkout.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Time of India
‘Land rivalry, Rs 4L contract and wedding link': How trader Ashok Kumar Sao, the ‘mastermind', plotted Patna bizman Gopal Khemka's murder
Police arrested Ashok Kumar Sao in Gopal Khemka murder case. Shooter Umesh Yadav confessed Sao paid him to kill Khemka. An old land dispute is suspected motive. P ATNA: In a major breakthrough, police on Tuesday arrested trader Ashok Kumar Sao, the alleged mastermind behind the sensational murder of prominent businessman Gopal Khemka. The arrest followed the confession of the alleged shooter, Umesh Yadav, who claimed Sao contracted him to kill Khemka for Rs 4 lakh. Sao was arersted from his flat under the Gandhi Maidan police station limits during a raid late on Monday night, shortly after police nabbed Umesh. Investigators suspect that an old enmity between the two businessmen over land disputes led to the fatal conspiracy, though the exact cause of their conflict is yet to be fully established. Officials said further analysis of Khemka's cellphone records and laptop would help reveal the complete picture. Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Kartikeya K Sharma said the investigation began by tracing the motorcycle used in the crime, which led to Umesh's arrest. "During questioning, he confessed to the murder and disclosed that the weapon used in the crime was hidden in a locked room on the upper floor of his house. A subsequent search led to the recovery of the firearm, along with 59 bullets and two magazines containing 14 rounds," the SSP told reporters. Sharma added that Umesh had known Sao for about a year and a half, having met him at a wedding. Since then, he had worked for the trader. "About six weeks ago, Sao plotted Khemka's murder and hired Umesh to arrange weapons. An advance of Rs 50,000 was paid and the balance Rs 3.5 lakh was to be given after the job. The deal was settled at Rs 4 lakh," he said. Initially, Umesh approached local shooters in the Patna City area and contacted known arms supplier Vikas alias Raja. However, after Raja demanded a higher fee, Umesh decided to carry out the shooting himself, using a weapon provided by Sao. According to the SSP, Umesh had been briefed on Khemka's daily routine. "He was told that the target usually arrived at Bankipore Club around 8.30pm and left by 11.30pm. On the night of July 4, Umesh followed Khemka and shot him outside the gate of his apartment complex around 11.45pm," Sharma said. The next day, Sao allegedly met Umesh at J P Ganga Path under the Malsalami police station area and handed over Rs 3.5 lakh in cash. "A cellphone and sim card were purchased in Umesh's name for communication to shield Sao from being implicated. After the payment, Umesh returned the handset but kept the sim," Sharma said. During a search of Sao's flat, police recovered Rs 6.5 lakh in cash, a 9mm pistol with 17 rounds and numerous land-related documents. Director general of police (DGP) Vinay Kumar said police had retrieved several phone conversations between Sao and other businessmen involving land deals and disputes. "We are reviewing all communications to ascertain the motive behind Khemka's murder and the possible business-related conflict," he said. The DGP also played an audio recording of a heated argument between Sao and another businessman during the press briefing. Kumar added that Sao had been questioned earlier in connection with the 2002 Manoj Kamalia murder case and his name had surfaced in the killing of Santosh Tebriwal. He was also jailed over a cold storage dispute in Biharsharif. "In every case, land dispute has been a recurring factor," the DGP said. The case has also drawn parallels with the 2018 murder of Khemka's son Gunjan in Vaishali district, allegedly also over a land dispute. In that incident, the shooter Abhishek and Khemka were both killed.
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Time of India
Trader held for contract killing of Khemka over land dispute; Rs4L deal comes to light
P atna: In a major breakthrough, police on Tuesday arrested trader Ashok Kumar Sao, the alleged mastermind behind the sensational murder of prominent businessman Gopal Khemka. The arrest followed the confession of the alleged shooter, Umesh Yadav, who claimed Sao contracted him to kill Khemka for Rs 4 lakh. Sao was arersted from his flat under the Gandhi Maidan police station limits during a raid late on Monday night, shortly after police nabbed Umesh. Investigators suspect that an old enmity between the two businessmen over land disputes led to the fatal conspiracy, though the exact cause of their conflict is yet to be fully established. Officials said further analysis of Khemka's cellphone records and laptop would help reveal the complete picture. Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Kartikeya K Sharma said the investigation began by tracing the motorcycle used in the crime, which led to Umesh's arrest. "During questioning, he confessed to the murder and disclosed that the weapon used in the crime was hidden in a locked room on the upper floor of his house. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Providers are furious: Internet access without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More Undo A subsequent search led to the recovery of the firearm, along with 59 bullets and two magazines containing 14 rounds," the SSP told reporters. Sharma added that Umesh had known Sao for about a year and a half, having met him at a wedding. Since then, he had worked for the trader. "About six weeks ago, Sao plotted Khemka's murder and hired Umesh to arrange weapons. An advance of Rs 50,000 was paid and the balance Rs 3.5 lakh was to be given after the job. The deal was settled at Rs 4 lakh," he said. Initially, Umesh approached local shooters in the Patna City area and contacted known arms supplier Vikas alias Raja. However, after Raja demanded a higher fee, Umesh decided to carry out the shooting himself, using a weapon provided by Sao. According to the SSP, Umesh had been briefed on Khemka's daily routine. "He was told that the target usually arrived at Bankipore Club around 8.30pm and left by 11.30pm. On the night of July 4, Umesh followed Khemka and shot him outside the gate of his apartment complex around 11.45pm," Sharma said. The next day, Sao allegedly met Umesh at J P Ganga Path under the Malsalami police station area and handed over Rs 3.5 lakh in cash. "A cellphone and sim card were purchased in Umesh's name for communication to shield Sao from being implicated. After the payment, Umesh returned the handset but kept the sim," Sharma said. During a search of Sao's flat, police recovered Rs 6.5 lakh in cash, a 9mm pistol with 17 rounds and numerous land-related documents. Director general of police (DGP) Vinay Kumar said police had retrieved several phone conversations between Sao and other businessmen involving land deals and disputes. "We are reviewing all communications to ascertain the motive behind Khemka's murder and the possible business-related conflict," he said. The DGP also played an audio recording of a heated argument between Sao and another businessman during the press briefing. Kumar added that Sao had been questioned earlier in connection with the 2002 Manoj Kamalia murder case and his name had surfaced in the killing of Santosh Tebriwal. He was also jailed over a cold storage dispute in Biharsharif. "In every case, land dispute has been a recurring factor," the DGP said. The case has also drawn parallels with the 2018 murder of Khemka's son Gunjan in Vaishali district, allegedly also over a land dispute. In that incident, the shooter Abhishek and Khemka were both killed. Police have said they will examine the role of individuals, both in jail and outside, in Gunjan's murder as well. Investigators suspect the possible involvement of jailed criminal Ajay Verma, currently lodged in Beur Jail, in connection with both cases.
NDTV
04-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Probe Agency Conducts Raids In Money Laundering Case Against Jharkhand Ex-Minister
Ranchi: The Enforcement Directorate on Friday raided multiple locations in Jharkhand as part of an ongoing alleged illegal sand mining and extortion linked money laundering investigation against former minister Yogendra Sao and his family members, official sources said. At least eight premises in Hazaribag and Ranchi were raided since early morning. The action is being undertaken as per the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said. The raids pertains to an ongoing probe into allegations that substantial proceeds of crime were generated through activities such as extortion, illegal sand mining, and land grabbing, the sources said. Sao is a Congress leader and a former agriculture minister of the state. He was raised and questioned by the ED last year in a money laundering case that was being probed against his MLA daughter Amba Prasad.
