Expresses concern over non-utilisation of funds
Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) Chairman Kishore Mohanty reviewed various activities taken up by the WODC in the Nuapada district at a meeting held here on Monday. The meeting was attended by block and district level officials. Mohanty visited some WODC sanctioned project works in Khariar block after the meeting.
The Chairman expressed dissatisfaction over the non-utilisation of funds and non-submission of utilisation certification (UC). It was revealed that the district is yet to submit the UC for more than 58 per cent of the released funds. The WODC has released an amount of Rs 56.81 crore to the district for 1,068 projects since its inception but the UC submitted so far is for Rs 33.93 crore in total.
“If the UC is not submitted in time, the council will not give any more funds to the district. In addition, the Government will also fix accountability with the official responsible for the non-utilisation of funds and non-submission of the UC,” said Mohany. The block-wise report presented at the meeting revealed that the BDO of Boden block has submitted UC for Rs 44 crore in total against receipt of Rs 6 crore for 128 projects. likewise, Sinapali, Khariar and Komna blocks have submitted UCs for Rs 1.26 crore, Rs 2.84 crore and Rs 2.48 crore, respectively against their receipt of Rs 2.60, Rs 7.24 crores and Rs 4.07 crores. The utilisation of funds in Nuapada block was much less in comparison to other blocks of the district. The block has received Rs 5.87 crore and has submitted utilisation for only Rs 1.83 crore, which means the block has not submitted UC for more than 69 per cent of the funds received. The WODC officials expressed astonishment over non-utilisation of funds allotted in the year 2009-10 and 2010-11 for construction of building in Nangalbod gram panchayat of Sinapali block.
Astonishingly all the BDOs excepting of Khariar could not provide correct figures of their receipt and utilisation of funds. “We had informed you to come with all the data but you have not done your homework properly,” the Chairman told officials. “This is my first meeting and I am disappointed” he added. The WODC Chairman further informed that the council would give priority to projects on education, health and agriculture.