‘Smart corruption’: Congress claims AI images used to bag national water award; MP administration rejects charge

The Congress on Monday accused the Madhya Pradesh government of corruption, alleging that the Khandwa district administration secured a national water conservation award by submitting AI-generated images, a charge denied by the district's officials.

The allegations came after Khandwa district secured first place at the national level for water conservation efforts under the Centre’s Jal Sanchay, Jan Bhagidari campaign.

According to news agency PTI, the district went on to receive a ₹2-crore award at the sixth National Water Awards ceremony held in New Delhi in November.

The Kaveshwar gram panchayat in the district also won second prize in the best gram panchayat category.

Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari raised the allegation in a post on X, accusing the BJP-led state government of misusing artificial intelligence to project false development. “Where the BJP government should teach our children the proper use of AI, it is itself indulging in corruption using AI,” he added.

“In Khandwa, officials of the BJP government turned two-foot-deep pits into wells using AI, and uploaded AI-generated images of various development works across the area on the portal,” Patwari alleged.

“Based on these images, they even took an award from the Honourable President,” he claimed.

He further said, “When the ground reality came to light, fields and empty grounds were found there. Clearly, this was not water conservation, but a game of technology-created images. Under the BJP rule, corruption has also become smart.”

As the controversy escalated, the Khandwa district administration held a press conference to refute the allegations.

District panchayat chief executive officer Nagarjun B Gowda said that AI-generated images had no connection with the National Water Award process, as reported by news agency PTI.

He said “verified images after thorough scrutiny” of 1,29,046 water conservation works carried out under the Jal Sanchay, Jan Bhagidari campaign were uploaded on the official JSJB portal.

According to Gowda, the Union jal shakti ministry verified all uploaded material and conducted random field inspections of one per cent of the total works.

“Prima facie, false news about water conservation works carried out in Khandwa district is being spread by some social media accounts,” he said, reported PTI.

The CEO clarified that photographs related to water conservation are also uploaded on another platform – the Catch the Rain portal – but only for educational and motivational purposes.

“The district administration has found that 21 images generated through AI were uploaded on the Catch the Rain portal. This was possibly done with malicious intent. The district administration is taking action against those who uploaded these images,” the news agency quoted him Gowda as saying.

He stressed that the Catch the Rain portal is separate from the Jal Sanchay, Jan Bhagidari campaign portal.

“The Catch the Rain portal is completely different from the Jal Sanchay, Jan Bhagidari campaign portal. Awards under the Jal Sanchay, Jan Bhagidari campaign are not considered based on images uploaded on the Catch the Rain portal,” he added, PTI reported.

More than 1.25 lakh water conservation works were carried out in Khandwa district under the Jal Sanchay, Jan Bhagidari campaign, the highest number recorded in the country, the official said.