A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture has urged the Ministry of Finance to increase the Budget allocation of Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries so that various programmes undertaken by them do not suffer for want of funds.
In its latest report, the Panel said that the share of the Department in the Central Plan Outlay during 10th, 11th and 12th plans was merely 0.28 per cent, 0.38 per cent and 0.33 per cent respectively. The Committee was of view that the Department of the Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries should be allocated more funds in the Central Plan keeping in view the contributions made by this particular sector to employment generation, the food basket, and the National Gross Domestic Product of the country.
“During the year 2016-17, against a proposal of Rs3,231.43 crore, the allocation was again a meagre Rs1,600.00 crore (49.51 per cent). Further, the total allocation made to the Department in the BE stage of the five fiscals of the Twelfth Plan is Rs9,200.14 crore, which is a mere 64.88 per cent of the approved 12th Plan Outlay of Rs14,179 crore of the Department. This mismatch between the proposed allocation is a cause of concern to the Committee. As a result of lesser allocation of funds, the Committee is apprehensive that the implementation of the various schemes undertaken by the Department may have been adversely affected, which in turn may have hindered the growth and development of this vital sector of the economy,” the Committee said.
The Committee note that during each of the years of the 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17, a huge variation exists between funds demanded by the Department and the funds allocated by erstwhile Planning Commission/Ministry of Finance.
For the year 2012-13, against the demand of Rs3,497.50 crore, the allocation was Rs1,910.00 crore (54.61 per cent). During the year 2013-14, the Department was allocated Rs2,025.00 crore against the proposal of Rs3,025.00 crore (66.94 per cent). Again for the 2014-15, the proposal was for Rs3,535.00 crore but the allocation made was Rs2174.00 crore (61.49 per cent). During the year 2015-16, against a proposal of Rs4527.79 crore, the allocation was a meagre Rs1491.14 crore (32.93 per cent). During the year 2016-17, against a proposal of Rs3,231.43 crore, the allocation was again a meagre Rs1,600.00 crore (49.51 per cent).
“Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries activities along with agriculture continue to be an integral part of human life ever since the process of civilisation. These activities have contributed to the food basket, draught animal power, helped in maintaining ecological balance and have also played a significant role in generating gainful employment in the rural sector, particularly among the landless, small and marginal farmers and women, besides providing cheap and nutritious food to millions of people,” the Committee said.
The Committee also noted that the Department has failed to utilise the funds properly. “During 2012-13, the actual expenditure was just Rs1,736.37 crore against an allocation of Rs1,910.00 crore, which is only 90.9 per cent of the fund allocated during the same year. For the year 2013-14, against an allocation of Rs2,025.00 crore, the expenditure incurred by the Department was Rs1,748.80 crore, which is just 86.36 per cent of the allocated amount. In the year 2014-15, the actual expenditure was Rs1,738.0 crore, which is 79.94 per cent of the allocated amount Rs2174 crore. For 2015-16, the Department was allocated Rs1491.14 crore out of which expenditure was Rs1418.20 crore which amounts to 95 per cent.
In 2016-17, the Department spent Rs1388.86 crore which is 86.80 per cent of the allocated amount of Rs1600 crore. The Committee are, therefore, dismayed to note that despite repeated recommendations of the Committee, the Department has failed to take corrective steps to optimally utilise funds allocated to them,” it said.