Visibly stung by the BJP going at it hammer and tongs over media reports of Rs1509 crore released by the Centre for reconstruction of 2013 deluge-ravaged Uttarakhand remaining missing in the records of the State Government, Chief Minister Harish Rawat met the media persons over coffee in the Secretariat on Wednesday. To take the wind out of the saffron sails, he said his Government is all set to have the reconstruction works of the disaster-affected areas assessed by a third party. “The assessment would be done before the State budget session kicks off,” he said. Along with the CM were present Chief Secretary Shatrughan Singh, principal secretary S Ramaswami, secretary Finance MC Joshi and director general Information Vinod Sharma.
Explaining matters, CS said that Rs7500.90 crore was approved by the Union Government in the wake of the disaster-2013. However, the Centre has released Rs2488.13 crore to the State Government so far, he said. “The State Government on its part has released Rs2155.23 out of Rs2488 crore under different heads so far. The remaining funds received have remained parked either in bank accounts or consolidated fund and a part of it is in the process of being spent. The State Government releases the budget after the work is completed,” CS said.
He also said that the Centre had approved budgets under six different heads. “The State Government has received in full Rs154.11 crore released from Prime Minister Relief Fund (PMRF). The State Government has spent Rs146.78 crore out of it and the remaining funds are balanced in account,” CS said.
“Under NDRF/SDRF, the Union Government had approved Rs1207.87 crore, but the State Government has received just Rs691.31 crore. The State Government has released Rs371 crore and the remaining Rs320.12 crore remains deposited in consolidated fund,” Singh said.
He further said that the Union Government had approved Rs1100 crore under Special Project Assistance Reconstruction (SPAR) and released Rs663.40 crore to the State so far. “The State Government has kept Rs276.58 crore in consolidated fund,” CS added.
“The Union Government had also approved Rs1884.92 crore under Centrally sponsored schemes and released Rs661.31 crore to the State so far. The State Government on its part has released Rs243.01 crore under different heads and the remaining Rs418.30 crore has remained in consolidated fund,” CS said.
Giving more details, Singh said under the Externally Aided Projects–Reconstruction (EAP-R), the Union Government had approved Rs3104 crore and released Rs 316 crore so far. “Hoping that the Union Government would compensate duly, the State Government has spent Rs1007.43 crore undr EAP-R so far. Now, we have requested the Union government to provide us with Rs691.43 crore which we have spent based on their commitment. Ironically, though the Union Government had initially approved Rs3737.34 crore but later they revised it at Rs3104 crore,” he said.
Citing another instance of the Centre withholding the approved amount, CS said that the Centre had approved Rs50 crore in the Central Plan. “But till date we have not received anything,” he said.
CM Rawat said that the Union Government has released the amounts through banks in head to head accounts, following a set pattern.
“It is thus atrocious to think that while the Centre releases funds the State Government does not keep records,” he said.
Referring to the RTI-revelation spawned allegation of missing funds, CM said the RTI reply dealt with the amounts approved by the Centre. “It must be understood that the approved funds and the released funds are not the same thing. While replying to a RTI query, Niti Ayoga has made it clear that some funds already approved have been recommended for the release. But the RTI activist manipulated with facts and figures to paint a wrong picture of the State Government bungling with the funds. The motive was malicious,” CM asserted.
Tearing into the Opposition BJP, he said they are seeking to raise storms over the emotive issue of disaster relief funds with eyes riveted on the 2017 Assembly election. “But such dubious propaganda would not cut ice with the discerning electorate of the State,” he said.
Reiterating that his Government is pretty serious over the right use of the disaster relief funds, he said that his government is all set to go for a third party assessment before the upcoming budget session to be doubly sure of things. “I have been myself verifying reconstruction works right from the sites. But still, leaving nothing to chance, we are quite open to assessment by a third party of the reconstruction works now being executed,” he said. He further said that the State Government is going to augment its source of income by imposing entry tax, water tax and other taxes shortly.