Bihar, Punjab, TN, Kerala not implementing SGSY: Raghuvansh

New Delhi, July 27 (UNI) Minister of Rural Development Raghuvansh Prasad Singh today expressed concern over the tardy pace of implementation of Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana projects in Bihar, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Kerela and emphasized the need of proper utilization of funds and timely submission of reports regarding special projects being implemented under SGSY in them.

Presiding a review meeting of the status report on the SGSY Special Projects here, Dr Singh advised the State functionaries for an on-line submission of Quarterly Performance Reports.

He also stressed upon the States to ensure completion of sanctioned projects within the stipulated time-frame and asked them to ensure better coordination between different agencies like the DRDA, NGOs, Panchayats and Banks involved in the implementation of SGSY projects in these States.

Commenting on the shortcomings in the documentation of Audit report, utilization certificate non-availability of year wise details in the progress of Eight Special projects running in Bihar, the Minister advised the State official to submit all the correct details by the end of August 2007. In case of the six projects in Punjab Dr Singh expressed dissatisfaction over its slow pace and asked the officials to furnish the complete picture by the end of September this year.

Meanwhile, the ministry has sanctioned Rs 122.03 crore to Rajasthan towards second instalment under the Revised Sub-Mission programme of Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP) (Quality) of Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission (RGNDWM) during the year 2007-08. The first instalment of Rs 206.00 crore was released during the previous financial year.

The grant included second instalment of 45 per cent share of Central share of Rs 3.32 crore ie Rs 1.50 crore released for 10 new projects sanctioned by the State with a capital outlay of Rs.4.52 crore. The Central share of Rs 120.53 crore is released for taking up 16 major projects for providing safe drinking water(total outlay is Rs 2065.64 crore and against balance Central share of Rs.639.978 crore) including supply of domestic defluoridation filters in 1000 habitations @ Rs.800-00 per unit.

UNI