Hyderabad: Minister for panchayati raj K.T. Rama Rao rushed to Delhi to pressurise the Centre to release plan amount running into more than Rs 3,500 crore. Failure to submit the utilisation certificates of funds to various Central ministries on time has cost the TS government dearly. Over Rs 12,000 crore of plan amount was lying with the Centre for this reason.
Though this money is specifically meant to execute Centrally-sponsored schemes, it is necessary for many welfare schemes that have some link with the state government. With the Budget exercise for FY 2015-16 beginning this week, the utilisation of the plan amount gains significance. Alarmed over the situation, the government is rushing officials of variousdepartments to Delhi to lobby for the early release of the money. Even the ministers are queuing up in Delhi to pressurise the Union ministers.
While Mr Harish Rao and Jagdeeshwar Reddy, ministers for irrigation and education had knocked the doors of Central leaders, finance minister Etela Rajender is going to Delhinext week on the same mission. “I am meeting Birendra Singh to specifically request him to release the money,” Mr Rao told this newspaper. Financial advisor to the TS government, Mr Ramakrishna Rao has flown to Delhi and briefed the Union financial ministry. He sought urgent release of funds. “I have spoken to Arun Jaitley and sought his intervention. Many programmes in panchayat raj, secondary education and agriculture are facing heavy resource crunch,” Mr Rajender said.
The total plan allocation for Telangana in 2014-15 was around 14,500 crore but so far just around 2500 has been released. TS Finance Ministry has sent circulars to all departments to prepare the details of expenses within a week. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao too has asked the officials to make everything clear by Jan 15 so tha the can pressurize the union government for the release of funds.
While the Panchayat Raj Ministry is due maximum amount from the centre i.e. around 3700 crores followed by Secondary Education (2800cr); Urban Development (Rs 1200 crore), Women and Child Welfare (815 crore), Medical and Health (687 cr); Agriculture (573 cr), Higher Education and Roads (Rs 100 cr each).
