AURANGABAD: The Godavari Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation (GMIDC), which has jurisdiction over most parts of the drought-prone region, has published its annual report in its official website only up till the financial year 2013-14 while giving a miss to the annual reports of the subsequent fiscals.The annual report is considered to be a crucial document as it sheds light on the status of irrigation projects, land acquisition, fund-flow and hydrological data among other aspects. While there is no trace of any annual report in the official website of GMIDC since 2014-15, authorities pleaded ignorance about the publication of such reports.Formed in 1998, GMIDC has jurisdiction over Aurangabad, Jalna, Parbhani, Hingoli, Nanded and Latur districts along with parts of Beed, Osmanabad and Nashik districts which benefit from the basin of Godavari river Water rights activist Abhijit Dhanorkar said on Monday that the annual report held a mirror in front of GMIDC and hence it should be published on an yearly basis. "GMIDC has jurisdiction over Marathwada which has earned the distinction of a drought-prone region. The work of GMIDC assumes great significance in the wake of such a crisis as it is primarily responsible for planning and developing new surface water schemes for irrigation, construction of ongoing project and management of existing schemes," said Dhanorkar.Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had announced funds to the tune of Rs 9,291 crore for giving a boost to the irrigation sector in the region during the special cabinet meeting held on October 4, 2016. Neera- Bhima stabilization project (Rs 4,800 crore), Painganga-Kundlik project (Rs 1,730 crore), Nandur- Madhameshwar project (Rs 894 crore) and right bank canal system of Lower Dudhna project (Rs 819 crore) were some of the key projects which were slated to get desired funding. The annual report, if published year-wise, could have reflected the progress of these crucial schemes.As per the annual report of 2013-14, a total of 78 projects having a collective irrigation capacity of nearly 7.97 lakh hectare were pending with GMIDC. It included 14 major projects, nine medium projects and 55 minor projects, all of which, if combined, had a financial outlay of Rs 33,052.88 crore of which 11,988.06 crore were spent by end of the 2013-14 fiscal. Had the annual reports for the fiscals that followed been available, it could have shed light on the developed irrigation capacity of the region.GMIDC had been reeling under staff crunch with around 5,462 posts lying vacant of the 12,476 that were sanctioned. The current status of the recruitment, which is also believed to be grim, is also not available on the official website.When contacted, GMIDC executive director Ajay Kohirkar said, "I am not aware about the exact status of publication of annual reports. I will seek details of the annual reports soon."Besides GMIDC, the state has Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation, Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation, Tapi Irrigation Development Corporation and Konkan Irrigation Development Corporation for managing the major rivers passing through the state.

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