Badal for full utilisation of Central schemes

Chandigarh, Jun 5 (UNI) The Punjab government today set in motion the process for complete utilisation of Centrally sponsored schemes for the current year, resulting in additional flow of Rs 1,710 crore into developmental activities.

During 2006-07, the state had utilised only Rs 723 crore through these schemes, an official spokesman said here today.

Centrally sponsored schemes worth Rs 2,433 crore were earmarked for the current year as compared to Rs 1,359 crore sanctioned during 2006-07.

Presiding over a meeting to review the these schemes, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal expressed concern over the under-utilisation of these schemes in the past years.

It was pointed out that during this period, an actual expenditure to the tune of Rs 723 crore on Centrally sponsored schemes (Rs 563 crore Central government share and Rs 160 crore state share) was incurred which accounted for merely 53 per cent of the total outlays.

Out of the total Rs 1,359 crore provided for Centrally sponsored schemes in the budget for the year 2006-07, the Central government's share was Rs 1,114 crore and the State's share was Rs 200 crore.

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