Raghubansh expresses concern over Bihar govts functioning

Patna, July 14 (UNI) Union Human Resources Minister Raghubansh Prasad Singh today expressed concern over the delay in the deposits of fund utilisation certificates by Bihar government, thus denying the state sizeable amounts of funds granted as subsidy by the Centre to local civic bodies under the 12th Finance Commission.

Mr Singh, in his letter to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, that a sum of Rs 1624 crore had been recommended for the next five years during 2005-06 for strengthening local civic bodies.

He said the state had to get Rs 324.80 crore every year under the said arrangement but Rs 176.60 crore, amounting nearly half of the sanctioned amount was released. The rest could not be released due to delay in deposits of the fund utilisation certificates and in abscence of other necessary information.

The Union minister deplored that Rs 14.20 crore had been released under the total payble sum of Rs 324.80 crore. He said that the Centre was also in the possession of reports which gave details of many Panchayats not getting the sum released, primarily for supply of drinking water and sanitary work.

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