Source: Hueiyen News Service / Thingbaijam Dhamen
Imphal, May 23 2009:
The state government has deposited 34.64 percent of the total Rs 550 crore received from the Centre under the Special Plan Assistant (SPA) during 2008-09 financial year to its MH-8449 account so as to make the total funds utilized by the state to 95.82 percent even though the actual expenditure was 58.17 percent only.
Meanwhile, director Sarvan Kumar (SP-North East), Planning Commission of India who is currently in the state to review implementation of SPA funded projects in Manipur has inspected some of the projects taken up in Moreh town, Chandel district today.
Manipur received an outlay of Rs 550 crores for taking up various priority projects mostly related with improvement of road connectivity, health services, education and human resource development.
Centre also released the cent percent of the allocated fund to the state government during the financial year concluded March 31, 2009 and the latest status reports of utilization of funds by the departments of the state government implementing projects and schemes showed an expenditure of Rs 319.96 crore representing 34.64 percent of the total outlay.
An unspent fund amounting to 207.02 crores has been deposited at the Manipur government account MH-8449 by the authorities apparently to avoid return of the fund to the Central pool as done in the previous years.
The amount deposited with the MH-8449 together with actual expenditure amount of Rs 319.96 crores, government claimed the total expenditure at Rs 526.98 crores representing 95.82 percent leaving a balance of Rs.230.124 crores.
The balance funds includes Rs 169.41 crores crores which departments efforted to deposit with the MH-8449 which the bills for encashment have been rejected by Bank.
Unable to encash the funds for the finance year 2008-09 ended March 31, 2009 were due to the non-release of the funds by the state finance department, official source said.
The funds which could not be encash from the bank includes Rs 92 crore of the state sericulture department, Rs 36 crores for the PHED, Rs 5 crore each for social welfare and rural development department, Rs 3 crore for labour department, Rs 4 crore for excise department, Rs 2 crores for labour and employement, Rs 11 crores for health department, Rs 6.50 crores for commerce and industries department, Rs 7 crore for consumers affairs, food and public distribution, Rs 20 lakhs for fisheries and Rs 11 lakh for the economic and statistic department.
Meanwhile, director (SP-NE), Planning Commission, Sarvan Kumar who arrived on yesterday in the state for his five day visit inspected projects sites in Moreh today.
Yesterday, as soon as he arrived at Imphal inspected works progress at Capitol Project, Food Park and Imphal Art College.
Officials from PWD, Arts and Culture, Industries and Planning Department accompanied the visiting official during the site inspections.
He took off for Moreh this morning and inspected Moreh Hospital, Trade Centre, Integrated Customs Post (ICP) site etc.
He is staying in the town for the night.
Tomorrow, he is schedule to proceed Thoubal Project site.
On May 25, he will visit Loktak Lake where various lake conservation projects are being taken up by the state with Central funding like the Takmu Water Sprts Complex.
He will also visit INA complex.
After coming from site inspection at Loktak Lak, he will called on with the state additional chief secretary (planning) and review the progress status of the SPA funded projects and schemes.
He will leave Imphal in the morning of May 26, the source said.