Naveen writes to PM for balance fund of past yrs
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider allocation of Rs 2,000 crore for smooth implementation of the Prime Minister Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in the State during the current financial year.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Patnaik requested Modi to enhance the tentative allocation of Rs 1,010 crore towards PMGSY for the current fiscal and also to release the balance fund of the scheme at the earliest for smooth implementation of the programme.
“The allocation of Rs 1,010 crore made during the current financial year will not be sufficient and needs to be enhanced to at least to Rs 2,000 crore,” he pointed out.
The Chief Minister said the Union Government had indicated a tentative allocation of Rs 1,010 crore under the PMGSY for Odisha during 2014-15 out of which Rs 300 crore had been released to the State so far.
Patnaik said the Union Ministry of Rural Development has sanctioned Rs 17,814 crore to the State since the inception of the scheme out of which an amount Rs 11,633 crore has already been released and fully spent, while a balance of Rs 6,181 crore is yet to be sanctioned.
The Chief Minister said the State has undertaken ongoing work of around Rs 3,200 crore and work worth Rs 1,500 crore is under tender process. During 2013-14, Rs 1,615 crore was spent in the State under the PMGSY, he informed.