Only 9.71 pc of plan expenditure incurred so far
Heads of departments asked to furnish expenditure updates every month
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 26 2014:
In view of the slow progress in utilization of the funds released from the government of India and also for the subsequent delay in uploading the utilization certificates on the website of Central Planning Department, the state government has reportedly directed all departments to expedite the implementation of ongoing projects and submit their updated latest utilization reports for appraisal to the Centre.
During a meeting held on October 16 last to review the government expenditure for the year 2014-15, Chief Minister O.Ibobi, who also holds the Finance portfolio, directed all departments to show their improved plan expenditure under the annual plan 2014-2015 by December this year.
A highly placed source informed this Daily that in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister O.Ibobi, the Principal Secretary (Planning) Barun Mitra indicated that out of the Rs.1022.30 Crore released by the government of India for the financial year 2014-15, the various departments of the state government have so far incurred an expenditure of Rs.310.60 crore.
Subsequently, the Principal Secretary directed all concerned administrative heads of departments to utilize 60 percent of the allotted funds by December this year, and also to furnish updated status of expenditure every month.
Informing to the gathering that total outlay for 2014-15 is Rs.3200 Crore, Chief Secretary PC Lawmkunga also asked the department heads to keep in touch with respective ministries for early completion of ongoing projects, for which funds have been released.
As apprised in the meeting, only 30.38 percent of the released funds and only 9.71 percent of the total outlay for 2014-15 have been utilized bu the end of September this year.
The projects for which Utilisation certificates have been uploaded so far on Planning Department website include Rs.100 Crore for Construction of Capital Project, Rs.62 Crore for JNIMS infrastructure development, Rs.27 crore and Rs.60 crore for Tribal areas Inclusive Infra project-I and project-II respectively.
An Utilisation of Rs.60 Crore for Roads and Bridges has also been uploaded, informed the source.
The Utilisation certificates for a total amount of Rs.121 Crore have not yet been uploaded on the website, said the source while elaborating that these include Rs.10 Crore for sericulture project phase-I, Rs.40 crore for construction of BTQ for Primary Teachers under ADC, Rs.50 Crore for seting up of IT SEZ at Mantripukhri and Rs.21 Crore for strengthening of existing rice research station at Wangbal.
During the meeting which discussed the progress on the expenditure for the year 2014-15, the defaulting departments implementing the Special Plan Assistance (SPA) were detailed to furnish latest UCs along with photographs to Planning Department before October 20, the source added.
All Departments of state government were also directed to submit updated plan expenditure for the current financial year latest by November 1.The meeting also resolved to ask all departments to submit regular updates on expenditure for onward submission to Central Planning department by 5th of every month.
It was also decided that all departments must utilize at least 50 percent of allotted funds by December this year, the source added.
The Finance department was also directed to clear the proposals within a week of submission by departments.
The next plan review meeting will be held in 2nd week of November, it added.
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