Without adequate budget it will remain on paper only: Forum for Good Governance

Hyderabad: Appreciating the State government's decision of comprehensive development of school infrastructure through a novel scheme of Mana Vuru - Mana Badi, the Forum for Good Governance (FGG) on Thursday said without adequate budget the programme would remain on paper only.

The FGG wrote to Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on 'Mana Vuru Mana Badi' programme. The government had decided to have comprehensive development of school infrastructure at an estimated cost of Rs 7,290 crore to be implemented in three years.

The FGG said to implement the programme, the Finance department was made a nodal agency for funding. Funds would be made available to the Director of School Education to meet the project expenditure. The GO said the School Management Committee (SMC) shall execute the work to ensure people's participation, transparency and quick execution. The funding of the programme would be drawn from available funds under ZPP, MPP, TSP, SCSP, NABARD, Zilla Grandhalaya Samstha, SSA, REGS schemes.

As per schedule of work, by the end of 2021-22 the first phase covering 9,123 schools at a cost of Rs 3,498 crore, could have been completed. When asked, the department had no information. It asked the FGG to contact the School Education department. The secretary, School Education, also did not have any information about the work done in phase- I. He advised the FGG to contact the Director of School Education.

"This way no department has any idea of the work done in phase - I. During financial year 2021-22, as against a target of Rs 3,498 crore, not a rupee is allotted. Again, for year 2022-23 Rs. 2 crore per district only is released. At field level estimates are being prepared. Schools are likely to start from June 6. While the classes are going on, it may be difficult to take up civil works in schools," said FGG secretary M Padmanabha Reddy.He said the work involved was in no way connected to the Education department; it was mostly civil work and providing equipment to schools. The School Education department is ill-equipped to oversee civil work.

The FGG said the programme needs specific budget provision. "Diversion of funds from schemes like ZP, MPP, REGS was not going to help. The SMCs may not be able to execute the work and make payments.

It is better the district collector allots the work to any engineering wing in the district for execution. Without adequate budget provision the programme would remain only on paper.