Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 21 2010:
The earmarked fund under the Special Plan Assistance (SPA) for the fiscal year 2009-10 could not be utitlised properly and to the optimum as there was delayed in releasing the amount by the Finance Department, Government of India, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, who is also in charge of Finance informed the Assembly today.
Responding to a call attention motion raised by MLA O Joy of MPP in this regard, Ibobi explained that there was delayed in releasing the fund under SPA after its finalisation in August, 2009 .
The Finance Department started releasing the first instalment of the fund only in December, 2009 and the release of the entire fund of Rs 345 crores under SPA completed on March 31 this year.
So there was difficulty in utilising the earmarked fund in time and to ensure that the remaining fund is not lapsed, the same has been deposited in the State account.
Imposition of economic blockade for over two months was another factor for the failure of utilising the fund in time, he added.
The Chief Minister further informed the House that plan expenditure is being reviewed in meeting at Chief Secretary's level every month.
Efforts would be made to divert the fund from those Departments which are not being able to utilise it properly and use it for other developmental programmes specially in the hill areas, the Chief Minister said.
Raising the call attention motion, O Joy observed that inability to utilise the fund already sanctioned even as Budget session is underway for passing around Rs 6,000 crores is surprising.
Utilisation of just 47 percent of the SPA fund for 2009-01 indicates that the fund is not being able to use properly.
Payment for works executed have not been cleared.
In such a situation, how financial management is going to possible for the fund that is proposed to be sanctioned, he questioned.
Laying of the developmental fund in idle in the Government account is a shame, O Joy added.