Most of xatras to lose annuities due to non-submission of UCs

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: For ignorance of the lengthy official procedures, most of the xatras in the state literally forfeit their annuities.

As a noble cause, the State Government exempted the issuance of ceilings for the release of funds for the annuity of xatras. Very few categories come under the exemption of the ceiling, and the xatras are among the few. However, like every other department or institution, xatras have to submit the utilization certificates (UCs) of their annuities to get the annuities of the subsequent financial years released.

What has happened in the state over the years is that most of the xatras in the state forfeit their annuities as they cannot or do not submit utilization certificates due to various reasons. Most of the xatras get meagre amounts, less than Rs 10,000, as annuity. Very few xatras keep records of their annuity expenditures and submit UCs to the government to get their annuities released every year. However, most of the xatras find it difficult to keep records of small expenditures for incense sticks, candle lights, mustard oil, etc., due to ignorance or otherwise. This practice makes them forfeit the meagre annuity amounts they are supposed to get from the government.

The state has around 160 religious institutions, mostly xatras, for which the government makes budgetary allocations in the form of annuities. The government acquired lands under the State Acquisition of Lands Belonging to Religious or Charitable Institutions of Public Nature Act, 1959, decades ago. The government releases an annuity for the religious institutions instead of the lands it acquired from them.

Even though only one month of the current financial year is left, around 15 xatras of the state have submitted their UCs for annuities so far. The trend shows that in this fiscal year also, most of the xatras will not get their annuities due to the non-submission of UCs. The budgetary allocation in this fiscal under this head (annuity) is Rs 3.80 crore.

A few xatra management committees feel that if the government simplifies or relaxes the norms for the submission of UCs, they will get a respite. This is because annuities are not a grant but a due; the government owes the xatras against the acquired land.

Also Read: Continue drives to free xatra lands from encroachers: Asom Sattra Mahasabha

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