Assam government failed to utilize 32.3% of the last budget

GUWAHATI: The Assam government failed to utilize 32.3% of the last budgetary provision for the year 2019-2020 that ended on March 31, 2020. However, a worse scenario was during fiscal 2015-2016 when 44% of the then budgetary provisions remained unutilized.

The data were reflected in a reply given by Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to a query posed by the Leader of the Opposition and Congress legislator Debabrata Saikia in the Assam Assembly on Tuesday.

According to the Minister's statement, the total budgetary provision for 2019-2020 was Rs 119720 crore. As per the provisional figures, the total expenditure was Rs 81088 crore with the utilization percentage of 67.7%. In other words, 32.30% of the budgetary provisions remained unutilized last fiscal.

According to Minister Sarma's statement, three departments did not spend anything from their respective budgetary allocations during 2019-2020. These are the Parliamentary Affairs department (Allocation: Rs 4 crore), Passport department (Allocation: Rs 2 crore), and the Public Enterprise department (Rs 2 crore).

Here are the overall expenditure details of four earlier financial years.

Earlier in 2018-2019, the budgetary provision was Rs 108490 crore. The total expenditure was Rs 71851 crore with utilization percentage of 67% leaving 33% unutilized.

In 2017-2018, the budgetary provision was Rs 99453 crore. The expenditure was Rs 65436 crore (utilization percentage: 66%) leaving 34% unutilized.

In 2016-2017, the budgetary provision was Rs 83017 crore. The expenditure was Rs 57407 crore (with utilization percentage of 69%) leaving 31% unutilized.

In 2015-2016, the budgetary provision was Rs 74903 crore. The total expenditure was Rs 41931 crore (with utilization percentage of 56%) leaving 44% unutilized.

The present BJP-led coalition government took over the reins of power in the State from May 2016.

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