To ensure development on the ground, Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar has asked the District Magistrates (DMs) to utilise the funds meant for district plan by the stipulated time-frame. The State can achieve development goals through the districts. He stressed on the welfare schemes being implemented on the ground. The Chief Secretary has asked DMs and the Commissioners to ensure proper utilisation of the district plan fund in their jurisdictional areas. In 2013-14, the districts had failed to utilise these fund because the State Finance Department did not release the funds on time, he reminded.
Imbibing lessons from the past, the State Finance Department had released Rs750 crore districts plan fund to all the 13 districts at one go. He exhorted the officials through missives to utilise the said funds on a priority basis.In 2013, the State Government had released Rs282 crore out of Rs375 crore. The districts had spent just Rs118 crore and Dehradun figured last on the matter while Naintal district having spent Rs17 crore was the first among 13 districts as regards the district plan.
Kumar also asked the Commissioners and the DMs to provide status report on the Chief Minister’s announcements, especially those related to roads. Revenue, PWD and Forest Departments were given deadline to submit such reports by September 18.However, PWDs alone sent such reports so far. The State Government had expected the DMs to send joint reports of all three departments together. But they failed. In view of this, the CS has issued another deadline - September 25- for the reports to be submitted.
It would be pertinent to mention here that construction of 351 roads was announced by the Chief Minister over the past two years. For 199 out of 351 roads, surveys have been conducted so far.