With the financial year nearing to an end, huge amount has been allocated to District Planning Cell (DPC), Haridwar, with a motive to upgrade the district with advance techniques, better road connectivity, better water supply, health and education services for the residents. As per the report submitted on February 28, around 96.6 per cent of the allotted funds had been used in the development projects initiated in the district. It is being assumed that the figure of utilisation is almost cent percent, taking March in the view.
It is pertinent to mention that District Panning Committee (DPC) Haridwar, consists of 40 members, including top officials of district administration, several executive engineers of different departments, one to two members from all the six blocks and one to two members from Municipal Corporation. Besides, eight to nine members are nominated by Central Government. Several public representatives, including all elected members of legislative Assembly (MlA) and Member of Parliament (MP), are its members.
The in- charge of Haridwar district is Indira Hridayesh, Cabinet Minister of Finance and Industry. She has been nominated by the State Government. From the last three consecutive financial years, the DPC Haridwar is receiving around Rs50.5 crore for various development projects being initiated across the district. District Economical and Statistical Officer DK Asthana said that previously the allocated fund for DPC was released from the State Government when requests of demand were sent. But from this financial year (2014-15), for the first time in history of the State, the allocated fund is being issued in advance.
District Magistrate as secretary of the DPC is entitled to withdraw the fund on quarterly basis. If the official performance report of District Planning Committee through monthly progress report up to February 2015 was to be believed, the highest number of projects was proposed by PWD department. They are worth around Rs20.94 crore. However, projects worth Rs4 crore are still pending or in progress from the last financial year.
As per the reports, second highest number of projects was proposed by irrigation department of the district. They are worth Rs5.81 crore. The health and water supply department were third and fourth in terms of allocation of funds with the figures standing respectively at around Rs4 crore and Rs1 crore. The fisheries department’s performance was the worst as the figure of allocated fund stands at Rs3 lakhs.