The sluggish pace of Himachal Pradesh government in spending funds approved by the centre under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme may cost the State dear.
Accepting the delay in the execution of developmental projects under the AMRUT scheme, Himachal Pradesh Urban Development Minister, Sudhir Sharma admitted delay in the execution of development projects in Kullu but he assured house that the entire fund would be utilized by the end of the current fiscal.
Replying to query raised by BJP legislator Maheshwar Singh, Sharma said that the centre had approved a fund of `31.59 crore for different development projects of Kullu, but the State Government had been able to get a meager sum of `6.08 crore released out of the total grant.
He said that the delay had been caused on the part of Irrigation and Public Health or the Public Works department. Earlier, Maheshwar Singh said that the Government was required to spend at least 70 percent of the approved funds during the fiscal, if it wants centre to allocate more funds for Kullu next year under the AMRUT scheme.
On another issue raised during question hour, Himachal Pradesh Government assured assembly that it would probe the allegations of unscientific extraction of Resin from State and private pine forests and would take stringent action if anyone found guilty.
Replying to a query raised by BJP member from Nahan, Rajiv Bindal, Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri said that there was no information of any unscientific extraction and violation of HP Resin and Resin Product (Business regulation)
Act 1981.
He said that extraction of Resin in the private forest land did not fall under the ambit of act and State could not control such practices, however, he said that Government used to pursue private owners not to extract Resin more than the specified limit from the grown trees and not to use young trees for extraction.
He informed that 14456 cases of forest violations had been registered in State in the last three years and a penalty of `45,96,199 had been recovered from the errands.
He also said that 3406 cases of forest violation were registered in private land and `19,09,791 were recovered as penalties.
He said, to prevent forest fires ‘Rill method’ technique was being used in place of ‘Cup and lip by Tessa System’ which was used for extraction earlier. He said that fire watchers had also been deputed in pine forests.
Informing about the use of Resin, he said, two Resin and Turpentine factories were functioning in the State which procure the resin yields from the contractors on the fixed price. He said that during the year 2013-14 State earned `15 Crore after sale of Resin and `12.30 Cr in 2014-15, `4.34 Cr in 2015-16.
BJP member Rikhi Ram Kaundal took exception to declining revenue from the Resin procurement in the last 3 years.