Less utilisation of funds will not help fisheries dept achieve targets: panel

The Standing Committee on Agriculture has pulled up the Department of Fisheries for not fully utilising the funds allocated to the department, saying that “less utilisation” will not help in achieving the department’s targets and mandate to alleviate poverty among fishermen.

The committee, headed by BJP member P C Gaddigoudar, made these observations in a report that was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The report pertains to the Fisheries Department’s Demands for Grants for year 2021-22. “The Committee are dismayed to note that despite proposing huge funds, the Department has not been able to fully utilize the funds allocated to it in previous years,” the report said.

“The Committee believes that less utilization of allocated funds will not help in achieving the targets and mandate of the Department of alleviating poverty amongst Fishermen at large,” it said. “The Department should formulate concrete action plan in this regard and strive for optimal utilisation.”

“The Committee recommend the Department to ensure timely release of funds to States/UTs and rectify any technical error in PFMS Portal in future as early as possible,” it said.