BHUBANESWAR: Even as the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) continues with its stand of Central negligence, it has come to light that during the last nine years, the State Government has failed to spend more than Rs 46,000 crore which includes Central assistance and Central share of different schemes.
The allocation in the budget for Centrally sponsored schemes from 2006-07 to 2014-15 was Rs 13,649.84 crore of which Rs 3122.32 crore remained unspent.
Similarly, State had allocated Rs 8,065.64 crore for the Central schemes of which only Rs 4,488.46 crore was spent during the period. Sources maintained that Rs 3,577.28 crore allocated for implementation of Central schemes were not utilised.
The record of utilisation of funds earmarked in the State Budget for plan expenditure during the last nine years was more sluggish. The State Government had allotted Rs 146,887.88 crore during the period for State plans. However, the expenditure was Rs 107,279.24 crore. A large amount, Rs 39,408.63 crore remained unspent.
As per the data provided by Planning and Coordination Minister Usha Devi, the State Government was unable to spend Rs 46,108,24,45,000 earmarked for various State, Central and Centrally sponsored schemes from 2006-07 to 2014-15.
If the total amount during the last nine years will be taken into account, the State Government failed to spend Rs 5,123,13,82,000 every year. The matter came to the fore during the winter session of the Assembly, which concluded on Wednesday, in a written reply to a question from Dilip Ray (BJP) by Usha Devi.