Cong demands probe into funds spent on Sardar Sarovar oustees

Bhopal, Apr 17 (UNI) Accusing The Bharatiya Janata Party-led state regimes of lending political hues to the Sardar Sarovar dam issue, All-India Congress Committee General Secretary V Narayan Sami, who is also in charge of Madhya Pradesh, today demanded an inquiry into funds expended on resettlement of displaced persons in this state.

''The matter is complicated as the Madhya Pradesh government has not implemented a rehabilitation package. The channelisation of finances, received by the regime and Narmada Valley Development Authority over the past two-and-a-half years, should be probed,'' he told reporters here.

Mr Sami asserted the cooperation and assistance provided by the Gujarat government to displaced families to be made clear.

''From time to time, the Centre doled out assistance to the state government for resettling Madhya Pradesh families whose abodes came within the dam's submergence area. Over the past two-and-a-half years, the regime did not undertake authentic rehabilitation. Most proceedings were on paper and that led to large-scale corruption,'' he alleged.

Mr Sami said the Gujarat government favoured raising the dam's height as the entire irrigation benefit would accrue to that state.

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