BHUBANESWAR: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has pulled up the state government for surrendering total budget provisions made under some schemes denying intended benefits to beneficiaries.
The government has surrendered a total budget provision of Rs 2,686.12 crore made under 45 sub-heads (Rs 10 crore or more in each case) in 2017-18. Similar surrender of funds amounting to Rs 2,731.20 in 2015-16 and Rs 1,788.12 crore in 2016-17 was also reported by the CAG.
The government had made a provision of Rs 300 crore in the Finance department for protection of interest of depositors. The entire amount was surrendered as the government failed to identify the beneficiaries.
Similarly, the Works department surrendered an amount of Rs 70 crore sanctioned under Augmentation of Basic Amenities and Development of Heritage and Architecture (ABADHA) scheme due to delay in approval of projects and non-finalisation of tenders.
The department also returned a grant of Rs 20 crore sanctioned for road construction in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) areas. The budgeted provision for infrastructure development under Biju KBK Yojana by different departments were also surrendered for no plausible reason. While a majority part of the Capital City get submerged under rainwater due inadequate drainage system, the Housing and Urban Development department surrendered the total provision of Rs 24 crore made for storm water drainage and development of water bodies.
What is more galling is that performance grant of Rs 196 crore recommended by the 14th Finance Commission for local bodies could not be utilised and Panchayati Raj department has not given the reason for surrender of the budget.The CAG has further pointed out that the Energy department surrendered Rs 117 crore sanctioned for rural electrification under Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyut Karana Yojana which has been renamed as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana.
The Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA), an autonomous body under the Science and Technology department, had to surrender the entire budget provision of Rs 40 crore as it failed to implement identified schemes in 2017-18.
“The surrenders are mainly attributed to the late approval of projects, non-finalisation of tenders and non-release of the Central share for the surrender of budgeted provisions,” the CAG report on the State finance ending March 2018 tabled in the just concluded winter session of Assembly said.
The fact remains that surrender of funds resulted in denial of intended benefits to identified beneficiaries, the report said.
Coming down heavily of the government for poor utilisation of funds, state BJP secretary Lekhashree Samantasinghar said there is absolutely no logic behind market borrowing of Rs 12,130 crore for capital expenditure. Interest paid on the loan could be saved and the public is less burdened had the government fine-tune its expenditure mechanism, she said.
Schematic budget
Rs 300 cr for protection of interest of depositors
Rs 117 cr sanctioned for rural electrification
Rs 70 cr under ABADHA scheme
Rs 24 cr meant for storm water drainage and development of water bodies
Rs 20 cr sanctioned for road construction in LWE areas