THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Comptroller and Audit General report on local self-government (LSG) institutions for the year ended March 2017 tabled in the Assembly points to a glaring under-utilisation of allocated funds for women’s projects.
The CAG report stated while the state government directed LSG institutions to allocate 10 per cent of its plan funds to women-specific projects under the women component plan (WCP), the allocation came to only 2.39 per cent of the total development funds. Five LSG institutions having SC/ST women participation did not allocate funds for projects under WCP for benefit of the SC/ST community.
This, said the report, has deprived women from weaker sections of better health and living standards.
The study states 234 buildings were constructed for women-specific projects utilising `28.77 crore in 15 audited LSG institutions, but 59 buildings worth `7.3 crore (25.37 per cent) remain idle and 31 buildings constructed by five LSG institutions for Rs 4.78 crore are also not being used for the purpose for which they were made.
In another study on the Kerala local government service delivery project, the slow pace in implementation of the project resulted in the World Bank cancelling the undisbursed balance of USD 7.1 million equivalent to Rs 45.44 crore.On the implementation of projects for solid waste management in panchayat raj institutions (PRI), the low utilisation of funds indicates the majority of projects undertaken by PRIs for solid waste management did not materialise.
The CAG has also come down heavily on the failure of grama panchayats to create awareness and educate beneficiaries about the necessity of treatment of waste at source. The report also indicated the failure on the part of the LSG institutions to make the solid treatment plants functional led to unscientific disposal, like burial or burning of waste, which is a health and environmental hazard.
It also came down on Munnar and Peerumedu gram panchayats, two major tourist destinations in the state which did not adhere to the Panchayat Raj Act 1994, leading to indiscriminate dumping of waste which has a negative impact on ecology, quality of life and tourism potential of the region.
The CAG report also mentions the 14th finance commission funds were also under-utilised. Non-functioning of 27 e-toilets in 16 grama panchayats by Pathanamthitta district panchayat resulted in the unfruitful expenditure of `1.56 crore. It came down heavily on five LSG institutions in not collecting service tax from tenants and creating a liability of `38.40 lakh.
Funds for hosp in CM’s hometown not fully used
T’Puram: The CAG in its report has stated that the Women Component Plan fund was not implemented in Thalassery, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s hometown. The state government had permitted gram panchayats under the Thalassery block panchayat, Kannur district panchayat and Thalassery Municipality to provide funds for establishing a Mother and Child Hospital as part of the Government Hospital in Thalassery. Kannur district panchayat and Thalassery municipality transferred Rs 50 lakh each from the Women Component Plan funds in April and July 2015, respectively, to the organising committee for establishing the hospital. Interestingly, Congress MP Mullappally Ramachandran is the chairman of the organising committee, while CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan is the convener, with members drawn from all political parties.