This is an archive article published on January 24, 2024
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Rs 7,000 crore unutilised, CM Bhagwant Mann expresses displeasure
The state has moved the Supreme Court against Centre for non payment of RDF.
The CM Bhagwant Mann is learnt to have told the secretaries that the state can ill afford losing this money which may lapse for want of utilisation. (PTI Photo)
With only two months left in the current fiscal and a big chunk of Central grants lying unused, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Tuesday expressed displeasure to the administrative secretaries for not being able to spend at least Rs 7,000 crore.
It is learnt that the CM found that Rs 1,100 crore spent from December 6, 2003 till date was not satisfactory.
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Earlier, the various departments had been able to spend only Rs 3,000 crore out of Rs 11,000 crore worth central grants. On December 6, the CM had held a meeting and asked the secretaries to pull up their socks.
On Tuesday, the CM had another review meeting. It is learnt he has summoned the Deputy Commissioners of all districts on January 27 to push them for utilisation of grant.
The CM is learnt to have told the secretaries that the state can ill afford losing this money which may lapse for want of utilisation. “Majorly, there are 10 departments which have got the major chunk of grants. These departments can make use of these,” said a source.
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It is learnt that the secretaries told the CM that cold weather was a deterrent with labour getting slower for execution of public works efficiently. “The CM was, however, not convinced,” said a source. Now, he will tell all the DCs to be aggressive in spending money and getting the work done, the source added.
Earlier, the secretaries had stated that the most of the grants were utilised in the last quarter of the fiscal as after the completion of tendering process, the works were executed in this quarter.
The CM had held several meetings about utilisation of grants last year also and had got upset with the secretaries.Non utilisation of grants not only affects the state’s finances but also becomes a major political issue in the state. After last meeting, Leader of Opposition Partap Bajwa had taken. On the CM and accused him of not being able to get the grants utilised.
The state is already fund-crunched and the Centre is already withholding an amount of Rs 8,000 crore under various schemes inckuding the Rural Development Fund and other grants.
The state has moved the Supreme Court against Centre for non payment of RDF.
The CM Bhagwant Mann is learnt to have told the secretaries that the state can ill afford losing this money which may lapse for want of utilisation. (PTI Photo) 
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