Only three of the 20 departments, which implemented the Cash Management System in 2017-18, could spend budgetary grants timely, revealed a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) tabled in the State Assembly on Thursday.

The three departments are Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare, Panchayati Raj and Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Odisha Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2016, the State Government had laid down guidelines for timely spending of budgetary grants as per Cash Management System in 20 departments during 2017-18. As per regulation of expenditure 2017-18 in the Cash Management System, the flow of expenditure should be evenly placed. In terms of Finance Department instructions dated April 29, 2017, the level of expenditure at the end of the third quarter should not be less than 60 per cent and during the month of March, the same should not be more than 15 per cent of the gross budget provision.

It was marked that out of 20 departments, seven departments such as Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare, Panchayati Raj, Water Resources, Rural Development, Energy, MSME and Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) had spent minimum 60 per cent of the original budget provision by the end of third quarter. The Industry Department utilized only 23.87 per cent of the original provision by that quarter.

But as many 10 departments such as Works, School and Mass Education, ST and SC Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare, Housing and Urban, Water Resources, Forest and Environment, Rural Development, Energy, Higher Education and MSME exceeded expenditure of 15 per cent of the original budget provision in the Month of March 2018 with the excess ranged from 16.23 per cent to 30.86 per cent.

“Thus, out of 20 departments, only three departments such had followed the guidelines for spending of budgetary grants as per the Cash Management System,” remarked the CAG.