Stung with poor performer tag, Dispur issues tough guidelines

Plan fund expenditure

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, April 22: With Assam listed in the club of worst performers in so far as utilization of plan funds is concerned, Dispur has now come up with some tough guidelines for administrative departments to streamline, regulate and fast-track execution of schemes.

In a recent circular, the additiol chief secretary of Fince department has asked departments to submit their monthly expenditure statements within the 20th day of the next month.

“All the administrative departments are required to keep close watch on the progressive expenditure against the budget provision and submit monthly expenditure statement in a consolidated manner to the Fince (budget) department before the 20th day of next month. Failure of submission of monthly expenditure by any administrative department will be taken as a defaulter while releasing fund through ceiling,” the circular said.

The Fince department has also fixed the minimum amount of the plan fund that a department has to spend in a particular quarter.

“In the first quarter ending June, a department will have to utilize 15 per cent of the allocated funds. In the second quarter 25 per cent, in the third 35 per cent and in the last quarter 25 per cent allocated funds must be utilized,” it said.

This has been apparently done noting that most departments tend to spend a large part of funds during the last quarter.

While the State government is facing allegations of poor utilization of plan funds, the BJP-led Central government has been often charging it with failing to submit utilization certificates worth several thousand crores.