Lax depts fail to tap funds from Centre

Hyderabad: Telangana government is being deprived of Central funds as many state departments failed to furnish Utilisation Certificates (UC) to the Union government under the Centrally sponsored schemes which include national rural employment guarantee scheme, rural development works, national highway projects and women and child development schemes.

The state has so far received only Rs 4,000 crore as against Rs 7,000 crore during the last three quarters of this financial year. A little more 27 schemes are being implemented under the Centrally sponsored schemes programme in three categories - core of the core, core and optional.

Under the ‘core of the core’ scheme, Centre was providing 90 per cent grant to the schemes like MGNREGP.

Besides, it also provides grant to women and child welfare schemes mainly ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme) rural development, minority welfare, SC, ST and BC welfare departments. Top officials in the Finance department told The Hans India that the dues under rural employment scheme were yet to be released as the state Rural development department did not submit utilization certificate up to date every month.

As a result, the release of funds to the tune of Rs 700 crore was still pending at the centre.  The T state has got only Rs 1,500 crore as against 2,200 crore till December end. The release of funds under the core schemes like National Health Mission, Pradhan Manthri Gram Sadak Yojana, National Education Mission, infrastructure and road development in LWE (Left Wing Extremists) districts were also pending with the Centre as the respective departments failed to submit the utilisation certificates in time.

The standard procedure says the respective departments should forward new proposals every three months and update the Centre about the requirement of funds. Besides, the departments should clarify the doubts raised by the Union government from time to time for the early release of funds and submit utilisation certificates.

The delay in the execution of the national highway projects sanctioned on the stretch of nearly 2,000 km is also a cause of concern for the state government in receiving funds from the Centre.  Land acquisition has put major hurdle for the speedy works. As a result, state was not getting funds regularly. 

The ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme) was also hit hard due to the delay in submitting related information. Only 50 per cent of the funds were released. Telangana is entitled to avail nearly Rs 700 crore under the scheme.