No fresh fund to State sans submission of utilization certificate: Tomar
BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI, Sept 19: Union Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister rendra Singh Tomar on Monday made it clear that no fresh central fund for the implementation of rural development schemes will be released without the submission utilization certificates.
"It has been decided that funds should not be released to the State government if it has not submitted all Utilization Certificates in respect of all its schemes of the Rural Development," Tomar said in a conference of ministers and secretaries of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Drniking Water and Sanitation at Assam Administrative Staff College here.
"Submitting the utilization certification of funds is the responsibility of the State government," Tomar said.
The minister said that all rural development schemes must be implemented within stipulated time frame.
He further said that North East is always at the centre of attention of the Central Government and it will always work for the development of the Region.
"Development of rural areas is the priority of the Central Government as well as the State Governments'' Tomar said.
Minister Tomar reiterated the vision of the Central Government for sustaible development of the Rural India and said ''We have to achieve this goal within the stipulated time frame.'' He also said that as many as one crore houses will be constructed in the country under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yoja by 2021 so that every family of the county gets a shed of their own.
Addressing the conference, Union Minister of State for Rural Development Ram Kripal Yadav stressed on the united efforts of the Centre-State for socio-economic development of rural areas.
Yadav claimed that there were massive anomalies in the implementation of schemes of the Panchayat and Rural Development department during the tenure of the previous government.
"The funds of various schemes of the rural development were not properly utilized due to massive anomalies in its implementations," Yadav said. He said that to curb corruption in the implementation of rural development schemes, the State government must take steps.
Earlier, welcoming the Union Ministers and Rural Development Ministers of other states, State Panchayat & Rural Development minister ba Kumar Doley said that steps are being taken by the Assam Government to devolve power to Panchayati Raj institutions in a meaningful way to empower the poor and margilised.
He further informed that the State Government has already started the process for preparing Gaon Panchayat Development Plans in each Gaon Panchayat through participatory exercises.
Minister Doley further seeks support from the Union Government to meet the critical gaps and requested to release the fund to facilitate better rural economy and infrastructure.
Addressing at the Conference, representing Ministers of Bihar, Harya, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Rajasthan, Sikkim and galand highlighted the initiatives, achievements and constraints of various rural development schemes and appealed the Union Government to come forward and provide adequate fund to achieve the goal of rural development.
Speaking on the occasion both the Secretaries of Union Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Ministries elaborately highlighted the key initiatives based on Budget announcements, activities and the approach through which the target goal could be achieved.
They also discussed about the key issues of MGNREGA, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yoja (PMGSY), Deen Dayal Upadhaya Grameen Kaushalya Yoja (DDUGKY), tiol Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yoja (PMAY), Saansad Adarsh Gram Yoja, RURBAN Mission, Drinking Water, Sanitation programme and e-Gov for Rural Digital Empowerment etc. The Conference was also attended among others by Union Minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation Rmesh C Jigajigi.