Govt.of maharshta spends zero rupees on minority in this fiscal year-mumbaimirror reports

Govt.of maharshta spends zero rupees on minority in this fiscal year

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/2/200812232008122302320951714836734/Zero#ftr2

Zero

That's what the Deshmukh administration spent on Minority Affairs out of the allocated Rs 167 crore. Other departments too spent only an average of 34 per cent of their funds in eight months

Deshmukh has left Ashok Chavan with the tough task of utilising the remaining 66% funds in less than 4 months Looks like development schemes in the state took a back seat in the last eight months. In the current financial year, the Democratic Front government spent just 34 per cent of the Rs 29,000 crore annual plan funds, leaving Chief Minister Ashok Chavan with the rather difficult job of utilising the remaining 66 per cent in less than four months. Else, the funds will lapse. Department-wise figures of government spending in the financial year 2008-09, available with this newspaper, reveal some shocking facts. The Minorities Development Department, the brainchild of former CM Vilasrao Deshmukh, failed to utilise a single rupee of the allocated Rs 167 crore until December 15. Out of the 26 government departments, only the Food & Civil Supplies department utilised 100 per cent of the allocated funds. The department, held by NCP man Sunil Tatkare until December 7, has now been given to minister Ramesh Bang. The School Education department, which was under former Minister Vasant Purke, has utilised 72 per cent of the funds allocated to it. Now, Purke has been dropped from the ministry. The Home Department, which was with R R Patil until December 1, could use only 24 per cent of the Rs 44 crore allocated to it. Departments such as Environment, Medical Education, Technical Education, Tourism & Cultural Affairs, Revenue & Forests, Law & Judiciary, Housing and Employment & Self Employment have not been able to utilise more than 10 per cent of their funds. The Minorities Development Department (0 per cent) and Housing Department (6.4 per cent), which were with were with Deshmukh, miserably failed to utilise their funds. If utilisation of funds in departments handled by Congress and NCP ministers is compared, the NCP men are slightly ahead of their Congress counterparts. Departments like PWD (32 per cent funds utilised), Water Resources (38 per cent), Rural Development (34 per cent), Finance & Planning (10 per cent), Tribal Development (31 per cent) and Water Supply (47 per cent) are with the NCP. Under Congress control, the figures are General Administration Department (72 per cent funds utilised), Urban Development Department (36 per cent), Housing (6.4 per cent), Industry (75 per cent), Revenue & Forests (11 per cent), Agriculture & PDF (25 per cent), Law & Judiciary (0 per cent), Social Justice (41 per cent), Co-operation (30 per cent) and Women & Child Welfare (56 per cent). If the overall figures are compared, most of the departments have not been able to spend more than 34 per cent of the allocation. Now, they have only three-and-a-half months left to spend the rest. Government officials fear that most of departments will now go on a spending spree, compromising the overall quality of development works. Many departments have been known to submit their bills on March 31, the last day of the financial year, to show that they have utilised their funds.