Fund crunch hits State schemes

Fund crunch hits State schemes
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Highlights

Non-release of sufficient funds by the State government has left several departments in deep financial trouble in implementing developmental schemes in the first two quarters of 2016-17 financial year, which ended on September 30.

​Hyderabad: Non-release of sufficient funds by the State government has left several departments in deep financial trouble in implementing developmental schemes in the first two quarters of 2016-17 financial year, which ended on September 30.

  • Several depts receive less than 40% of total funds earmarked in the budget during the first six months
  • Affected depts include Health and Medical Department, all Welfare departments, Agriculture, Municipal Administration and Urban Development and Education Departments

Several departments received less than 40 per cent of the total funds earmarked in the budget during the first six months. As a result, many of the developmental programmes conceived by them could not be executed.

State Health and Medical Department, all Welfare departments, Agriculture, Municipal Administration and Urban Development and Education Departments are the most affected departments due to non-release of funds. The Medical and Health Department’s ambitious plan to strengthen all PHCs (Primary Health Centres) and Area Hospitals is still on the paper.

The department has prepared plans for every quarter, but the government did not release any funds so far. Strengthening of Ayurvedic hospitals and dispensaries was also pending. All these issues were brought to the notice of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao by State Health Minister C Laxma Reddy. The Minister said he had sought early release of funds.

Similarly, all the self employment programmes and the special schemes to promote entrepreneurs among BC, SC, ST and Minority communities came to a grinding halt. Though all the welfare departments received thousands of applications seeking financial support under the entrepreneur promotion scheme, they could not be cleared due to financial crunch.

Telangana unit of the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry had also submitted a memorandum to the government for early release of funds but still nothing happened. The officials said that the MA&UD Department was also facing funds crunch.

The government was yet to release funds under assistance to new municipalities, municipal corporations for development works. Out of Rs 200 crore allocations, only Rs 50 crore was released. The total budget allocation for the department was Rs 4,815 crore. State Agriculture Department is another department which is facing financial crisis.

The officials said that the purchase of advanced equipment for farming needs in the district headquarters and upgradation of veterinary hospitals could not materialise. The officials said the change in the State government’s priorities landed the key departments in great trouble. The government was releasing funds to the priority sectors, namely Irrigation, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development this year.

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