Thiruvananthapuram: The state’s plan fund utilisation by the end of November is a measly 23 percent, the worst in three years. Local self government institutions are the worst spenders, together spending just 9 percent; a sign that grassroots spending has virtually come to a standstill. Tourism, transport and ports are the other big under-utilisers. “Demonetisation has badly affected local spending,” a top Finance Department official said. “As is usual we have electronically transferred the money to them but panchayats are unable to withdraw the necessary funds,” the official said.
November is also the time when various local-level development works begin, after getting administrative sanction. “The utilisation was already week as the new government was sworn in two months after the fiscal year began. As a consequence, the entire process of identifying projects, and submitting DPRs, were further delayed,” the official said. Only Rs 516 crore of the Rs 5500 crore devolved to the local bodies has been spent by November 30.
Of the 39 departments, only four have crossed 50 percent utilisation; PWD (80.77 percent), Sports and Youth Affairs (67.87 Percent); Personnel & Administrative Reforms (58.56 percent); Finance (70.84 percent). “Like PWD, the Tourism Department has always been effective in utilising plan funds. But they have intriguingly put up a weak performance,” a top Department official said.
By the end of November it is only 23 percent. Departments that have a close bearing on the lives of the people – Transport, Social Justice, and Water Resources – have also fared badly. Water Resources, which has the highest allocation (Rs 1625.48 crore) after the total devolution to local bodies, has managed not even 35 percent. Transport and Social Justice fared even worse, 22 and 26 percent respectively. Spending for scheduled castes, which too is allocated a high amount of Rs 1409 crore, too is a paltry 20 percent.
