While the State Government is pumping more and more funds for development, spending by various departments has slowed down, which is a cause of concern.
The latest Fiscal Report on Expenditure by July 31, 2019 reveals that spending by the departments has gone down as compared to the corresponding previous year.
And this, when the State Budget size has gone up to over Rs 1.39 lakh crore during 2019-20 fiscal, which was Rs 1.13 lakh crore in 2018-19.
As compared to last year, increase in Budget has gone up by 9.38 per cent; so spending is expected to match the rise in funding. With pumping of more funds for the development sector, more spending was expected from the implementing agencies.
The report reveals that by July end, spending was 2.89 per cent less than the corresponding period of last year. “This is a cause of concern as after providing much needed funds, expenditure has not picked up,” said a senior official in the State Government.
Spending by July 31 is Rs 28,742.53 crore, whereas the funding expenditure by July end of 2018 was Rs 29,598.24 crore. Take for example, infrastructure development sector like Rural Development. It has registered much less spending with 84 per cent decrease in expenditure.
Similarly, expenditure in Housing and Urban Development Department has registered less spending to the extent of 43 per cent. Spending in Water Resources was Rs 1,828 crore by July end, which was Rs 2,686 crore in corresponding period of 2018.
The spending in Disaster Management has gone up with Fani effect as 14 districts faced the wrath of the super storm necessitating rehabilitation and reconstruction works. Consequently, spending in Disaster Management was Rs 2,807 crore and in coming days, spending will rise as the State Government is expecting more funds from the Centre.
However, social sector spending has come down with Panahcyati Raj and Drinking Water spending less than the last year’s. The spending in the sector as on July 31, 2018 was Rs 6,752 crore and by July end, 2019, the expenditure is Rs 2,696 crore, said sources.
Now the State Government is harping on more spending in both development and infrastructure sector as well as social spending.
With 5Ts in operation, stress is on more fruitful spending and now the departments are chalking out action plans in this regard.
Technology support is being roped in and time bound programme will be chalked out. The Department of Finance is constantly reviewing the release of funds and spending by the departments, for which expenditure in coming days will go up, said a senior official.