The Maharashtra government has finally decided to hand over 1,055.64 hectares of forest land to state Water Resources Department for the Jigaon dam project in Buldhana district.

The project, conceived in 2000, became controversial because of allegations of corruption. Former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and MLC (then with NCP) Sandip Bajoria are named in a petition before the Mumbai High Court that alleges misappropriation of funds. In a recent election, Bajoria was elected as an Independent member of the state Legislative Council.