Hyderabad: Though five months are almost over this financial year (April-August), the government has managed to spend around Rs 25,544 crore so far, of which plan expenditure accounts for Rs 16,744 crore and non-plan Rs 8,800 crore.
With the Telangana state government giving utmost priority to irrigation projects, Mission Bhagiratha, Mission Kakatiya and Haritha Haram schemes, major chunk of the funds are being utilised for these schemes. The bills of contractors doing works for irrigation projects and the water grid are being cleared on priority basis.
A senior official of the finance department said, “Instructions have been issued to the Treasury department to stop all bills of welfare schemes till October due to tight financial condition. Irrigation and water grid are our top priorities at present after salaries.
“Though there has been a 15 per cent growth in revenues, the huge spend on irrigation projects, at '2,000 crore per month, has been putting pressure on funds.”
Even the Budget Release Orders issued by the government for the entire year to ensure required funds for scholarships, fee reimbursement and pensions are not serving any purpose as the Treasury department is not releasing the funds due to the restrictions imposed on spending.
The government has to pay Rs 3,060 crore for scholarships /fee reimbursement and had issued BROs to this effect this year. But it has managed to release only Rs 1,200 crore so far, that too in installments and there is still a balance of Rs 1,900 crore.
It has to release another Rs 1,000 crore towards subsidy on loans for self-employment for backward classes, which it has kept pending for two years. Though its been three months since government hostels for BCs, SCs, STs were opened, it has failed to release cosmetic charges to students so far.
It had announced 133 residential schools for SCs and over 120 for Minorities as part of the KG to PG free education scheme for which Rs 930 crore and Rs 1,400 crore are required to construct permanent buildings. Both these departments are running around the Finance department for funds for the last three months but in vain.
Social security pensions for old-age, widows, physically challenged are also being delayed due to non release of funds on time. Over 32 lakh people in state are eligible for pensions for which over '4,000 crore is needed.
