Speed up implementation of schemes, Centre tells C'garh Govt

Raipur, July 17 (UNI) The Chhattisgarh Government has been cautioned by the Centre against the delay in completing formalities with regard to implementation of various centrally-sponsored schemes in the state.

Union Minister for Rural Development Raghuvansh Prasad Singh wrote a letter to Chief Minister Raman Singh, stating that he had reviewed the status of relief of first installment of various allocation-based programmes being implemented in the state.

He said the state was yet to receive the first installment so far under the Swarna Jayanti Swarozgar Yojna (SGSY), Indira Aawas Yojna (IAY), Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojna and DRDA administration of certain districts.

Mr Singh said the central share for all centrally-sponsored programmes being implemented by the ministry was released in two installments. The release of first installment is automatic and second installment is released based on proposal for release, submitted by relevant documents.

Mr Singh said normally it was expected of the project director of DRDA that the conditions imposed by the Centre should have been settled well within the last financial year. It was the primary duty of the project director to ensure that the funds meant for the concerned districts were received in time.

However in these cases, despite repeated reminders from the ministry, the issues had not been settled.

''It appears that the officials concerned are not acting in a responsible manner,'' he added.

The Union Minister urged the Chief Minister to review the situation and to take appropriate action to complete the formalities so that the first installment could be released.

''Any delay in release of first installment from the Centre would lead to delay in release of second installment, consequently resulting in poor performance of these schemes,'' he added.

In his letter, the Union Minister pointed out that his ministry was yet to receive proposals from Dantewada, Kanker, Korba, Mahasamund and Sarguja due to which the funds meant for the scheme could not be released.

UNI