Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Dec 14: There are less than four months left for the end of the current financial year but the Union government is yet to release around `Rs 6,783 crore, which is more than 50 per cent of the total grant, to the state for centrally-sponsored schemes, according to data available with the state finance department.
Of the total of `Rs12,418 crore plan provision, as on December 5 the state had received only `Rs 5,634 crore fron the central government. This has affected the 22 Centre-sponsored schemes being implemented by 14 departments of the state government in the current financial year.
The biggest shocker is that not a single rupee has been sanctioned by the NDA government under the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan.
Under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the Centre has released only `Rs767.62 crore against the provision of `Rs1,650.93 crore, according to government data.
The data available with Orissa Post reveals that under the Accelerated Irrigated Benefit and Flood Management Programme the state has so far received only `Rs79.90 crore against the provision of `Rs 1,544. 86 crore.
The provision for implementation of the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) in state was `550 crore and `Rs 1,050 crore respectively, but the state is yet to get `Rs297.84 crore under RKVY and `Rs 680 crore under SSA.
Similarly, the Union government is yet to release the lion share of `Rs 853 crore, `Rs 388 crore and `Rs292 crore under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) and National Health Mission (NHM), respectively.
The other schemes under which the Union government is yet to release funds to the state include the National Rural Drinking Water Programme, Backward Regions Grant Fund, Indira Awas Yojna, National Rural Livelihood Mission, Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Uchhatar Siksha Abhiyan, National Horticulture Mission and Rajiv Awas Yojna.
A senior official of the finance department said that as according to a circular of the ministry of finance, 66 per cent of the annual allocation of central assistance and additional central assistance is to be obtained by the end of third quarter, failing which the amount of shortfall shall not be allowed to be carried over to the last quarter.
