The Maharashtra Government today announced that a special investigation team (SIT) will be setup under water expert Madhav Chitaley to probe the allegations of corruption in the state irrigation department. Maharashtra water resources Minister Sunil Tatkare made this announcement in the ongoing winter session of Maharashtra assembly at Nagpur.

Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Tatkare said that all aspects of the situation have been considered and the details about the time-frame for the probe and other issues will be announced before the end of this year.

Responding to the announcement opposition parties in the Maharashtra legislature have expressed satisfaction over the state government's decision.

Opposition party BJP leader Vinod Tawde has demanded that the SIT should be headed by a respected technocrat so that all aspects of the alleged irrigation scam could be exposed. Opposition parties have been stalling the proceedings of the winter session of the Maharashtra legislature since last week demanding an SIT probe into the alleged irrigation department scam in Maharashtra.

It is alleged that there is massive corruption in the irrigation projects in the state.