JAMMU: The government has registered an average of only 35 per cent capital expenditure under district plan outlays for the current financial year so far.
While just a month and half are left for the current fiscal year to end, the ruling dispensation has also failed to review plan meeting involving MLAs and MLCs who questioned the “government’s efficiency” to carry out development works in the state.
If official sources are to be believed, against total capital outlay of around Rs 1,300 crore, various districts in the state had spent just 35 per cent funds.
“Though the utilisation of resources under various components of annual plan outlay for 2012-13 was same in all the three regions viz Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, the administration in various districts has not been able to record an expenditure of 30 per cent against funds allocated to the tune of Rs 240 crore under state schemes,” sources said.
The sources further said the 10 districts of Kashmir division had utilised 24-26 per cent of the capital component and nearly 46 per cent of the revenue component while the districts of Jammu division had spent 22-24 per cent and about 44 per cent in the capital and revenue components, respectively.
Sources said Udhampur district of Jammu division has figured in the bottom of the list of less capital expenditure incurred by any district.
“The situation in other districts of Jammu province is also grim under capital component, while Srinagar district has recorded lowest revenue expenditure so far,” they added.
Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, MLA, Kulgam, and CPM leader said he was not satisfied about the expenditure made by the government under the district plan so far.
“It raises a question mark on the government’s efficiency in carrying out development activities in the state. It has become a practice in Jammu and Kashmir that the government releases funds at the fag end to show large expenditure, which is unjustified,” he said.
Chaman Lal Gupta, MLA, Jammu West, said, “Unfortunately, the government didn’t hold any review plan meeting last year and the situation is no better in the current financial year. The MLAs don’t have any idea about the expenditure and development works undertaken in their Assembly segment. Every year, they show expenditure made for various schemes and plans, but no development is visible on the ground.”
Ajay Kumar Sadhotra, Minister for Planning Department, said he held a meeting of all the District Development Commissioners (DDCs) of Jammu province to review the progress of development activities today. “I will look into the issue,” he said.
(TNS)
