Odisha govt failed to spend Rs 33,449 Cr in last 9 years

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Dec 7:

Despite its tall claims on successful implementation of projects, Odisha Government has failed to spend a whopping Rs 33,449 crore received under several heads in past nine years, said a report tabled in the Assembly today.

Replying to an unstarred question by Rourkela MLA Dillip Ray, Planning & Convergence Minister Usha Devi today revealed that between 2007-8 and 2015-16, the state managed to spend Rs 2,45,532.44 crore out of 2,72,689.67 crore allocated under non-plan expenditure. Under planned expenditure, the government managed to spend only Rs 1,48,747.85 crore out of the Rs 1,55,348.05 crore sanctioned during the same period.

Even thought the State Government and ruling party including Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik himself love to engage in ‘Central negligence’ rhetoric at every possible opportunity, data tabled by the Minister shows that large parts of the funds already received by the State from Center went unspent.

The State received Rs 6,552.79 crore under Central sector schemes and Rs 10,503.95 crore under Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) during the above said nine years wherein it managed to spend only Rs 3940.23 crore and Rs 9424.21 crore respectively taking to total unspent money across all heads to a whopping Rs 33,449 crore.

While the government failed to spend Rs 667.27 crore during 2007-8, the number shot up to Rs 4,775.07 crore during 2012-13. It increased further and stood at Rs 13,459.75 crore during 2014-15. For 2015-16, the unspent amount stands at Rs 5,373.68 crore, sais Minister Devi’s report.

It further added that the funds received under Centrally Sponsored Scheme usually don’t go back to the Center even if they remain unspent in a particular financial year. Instead, it is used in the next financial year. The State Government, however, forms review committees and issues necessary directions to spend the funds on time.