State Chief Minister Harish Rawat sent a letter to the Union Water Resource Minister, Uma Bharti on Saturday, asking her to take initiatives to release the Union Government’s share of `731.23 crore involving several Centrally-sponsored projects cleared.

Harish Rawat said that the dues from the Centre has been pending for a string of works that are now in progress under CSS-R, CSS-FMP and AIBP. He said that the amount should be cleared at the earliest in the interests of the State. 

Rawat reminded Bharti that the Planning Commission had approved `416.64 crore as special package in January 2014 under Centrally-funded schemes like AIBP and flood control works.

Besides, the Centre’s share of the Centrally-sponsored flood security programme worth `141.98 crore and the same of `77.41 crore under instant irrigation, benefit programmes are yet to reach the State.

He also cited `96.20 crore by way of the Union Government’s share under minor irrigation projects, saying that this amount  was yet to be released too. 

In a nut shell, under CSS-R, CSS-FMP and AIBP programmes, the Centre is supposed to release `731.23 crore to the State Government, an amount that has not yet reached the State, according to CM.

CM also explained that the Centre is not releasing `879.5 crore as was approved way back in January 2014 by the erstwhile  Planning Commission by way of special package for Uttarakhand’s reconstruction under Centrally aided projects lIKE AIBP and flood control has landed the State Government in a deep crisis.

“The approved amount of  `879.5 crore would be lost for the State as the time limit for its spending will expire at the end of ongoing financial year - 2015-16. Armed by the special package, the State Government is  now engaged in constructing 54 flood security projects worth `657.45 crore of which the State’s share stands at a paltry `197.34 crore. The State’s share has got exhausted  completely. We are looking forward to the Centre releasing its share  to have things completed,” CM said.

He further wrote that the case is the same as it comes to   Union water resource ministry. They have so far released mere `43.81 crore out of the approved `460.45 crore in the financial year 2014-15. “We are eagerly waiting for the remaining amount to be released by the ministry so that things can be put in the right places,” he said.

Citing  the non-release of funds by the Centre in the  Central sponsored flood security programmes under contrition 17, he said  that  the approved amount is `265.83 crore,  including `141.98 as the Centre’s share. “In all, 32 instant irrigation benefit programmes are in progress and the Union government’s share of `77.41 crore is yet  to be released. At the same time, `96.20 crore is yet  to be sent by the Centre regarding the  651 minor irrigation schemes. In all, under CSS-R, CSS-FMP and AIBP schemes, all coming under the Union water resource ministry, `732.23 crore  is yet to be released by the Union Government,” CM said.

He said several under- construction works are left incomplete   due to the delay in the release of funds. “The money spent in such projects would go down the drain unless things are   completed. Things look grim that the half- constructed works being done to stop flood   are likely to be washed away  during the upcoming rainy season,” he said.  “We are thus in deep crisis and so we earnestly appeal to the Union minister to take prompt initiatives to have decks cleared for the early release of the long  pending amounts so as to enable us to spend it in time to control flood and the  like in natural calamity prone Uttarakhand,” CM Rawat said.