State Govt releases ‘special fund’ of Rs 150 cr to three devpt boards
| Date :24-Jul-2019 |
Staff Reporter:
After a long gap since the demand was made and ahead of the ensuing State Legislative Assembly elections, Planning Department of Maharashtra Government has released ‘special fund’ of Rs 150 crore to three regional development boards of Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Rest of Maharashtra. Each of these boards will get Rs 50 crore for taking up developmental works in respective jurisdictions. However, certain terms and conditions have been laid down for utilisation of the special fund.
A ceiling of Rs 2.50 crore per tehsil or per municipal council has been specified for utilising chunk from the special fund. At the same time, it has been specified that the fund cannot be utilised for construction of roads, drainage lines, gymnasiums, community halls, training programmes/workshops etc. Priority has to be accorded to taking up district/tehsil specific schemes especially for women’s self-help groups or farmer producers’ organisations. The works should be aimed at elevating the human development index of respective district/tehsil. Monitoring Committee headed by respective Divisional Commissioner has been asked to scrutinise the proposals received for the purpose of utilisation of the special fund. Later on, Commissioner (Human Development) will grant in-principle approval to proposal processed by Divisional Commissioner.
Interestingly, Commissioner (Human Development) has been specifically asked ‘not to consider’ the recommendations that exceed the ceiling of Rs 2.50 crore per tehsil/municipal council area. The role of District Collectors concerned also has been defined clearly in the guidelines while releasing the special fund. Unless there is order for release of funds from the District Collector concerned, the development boards have been asked not to issue work orders to the contractors/agencies concerned. Besides, Planning Department will release funds through Budget Estimation, Allocation, and Monitoring System only in case of schemes/works that have received administrative approval from the District Collector.
The physical and financial progress report will have to be filed by every month by the fifth day. Commissioner (Human Development) has been asked to compile reports regarding funds released and spent, and assess the outcome in terms of improvement in human development index of district/tehsil concerned, and submit a comprehensive report tot he Planning Department by May 31, 2020. The release of ‘special fund’ has surprised many. For, with the change in the role of development boards, these bodies had become more of development research organisations. Previously, these boards were getting special fund of Rs 100 crore per annum. However, from the financial year 2011-12, the Government stopped the fund. Later on, owing to pressure mounted by political appointees on the boards, the Governor had okayed release of Rs 100 crore each to three boards for the year 2014-15 alone.
Since the Government did not provide any funds, there was general lack of interest in political appointments to the position of Chairman of the development boards. For a few years, the posts remained vacant and administrative officers were in charge. Last year, the Government appointed Chairpersons to the boards, but the leaders appointed to the position were not willing to take charge if the Government did not provide funds for development of respective regions. Even the newly appointed Chairpersons of these three boards wrote repeatedly to the Government for restoring special fund. Finally, on Tuesday, Planning Department issued a communique to the Chairpersons, all Divisional Commissioners including those of Nagpur and Amravati; all District Collectors.