Dy CM seeks details of fund utilisation since 2020-21

Mangalagiri : Expressing dismay over only Rs 7 crore remaining in the accounts of the Swachh Andhra Corporation as against t Rs 2092.65 crore in 2020-21, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Panchayat Raj, Rural development, RWS and Forest Pawan Kalyan instructed the officials to give full details of the fund utilisation since 2020-21.

The Deputy Chief Minister reviewed the performance of Swachh Andhra Corporation at his residence in Mangalagiri on Wednesday.

He noticed that the corporation spent only Rs 728.35 crore during 2020-21 and Rs 508 crore in 2021-22. However, at the beginning of 2022-23, the balance was only Rs 3 crore.

He wanted to know what exactly happened to the funds and asked the officials to trace down the fund utilisation. During that particular year, the Central government sanctioned Rs 70 crore while the State government sanctioned Rs 20 crore. The expenditure was Rs 46 crore that year. Again during 2023-24, the corporation secured Rs 239 crore and Rs 209 crore has been spent. At present the balance was only Rs 7.04 crore.

The Deputy Chief Minister made it clear that the target set for the corporation could be achieved if the funds were properly utilised. It was a bad practice by the previous government to divert funds for other purposes instead of utilising the same for the original purpose.

He instructed the officials to probe into the diversion of funds and who gave directions for such diversion. Principal secretary of the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, managing director of Swachh Andhra Corporation and other officials were present.