Always under intense pressure for not being able to avail Central funds available to the State, Jharkhand is in the process of appointing a battery of officers in Delhi for the purpose. Most importantly, the present resident commissioner's office in the national capital would be aided by a full-fledged integrated liaisoning office. Besides the course correction, improving the state of affairs will also cut the cost coming on running the existing setup.
Informing this Chief Secretary Sajal Chakraverty said, "We have been paying Rs 5 lakh as rent for the office. We are leaving the place and taking new accommodation at Karolbag area or in the Statesman Building in Delhi. The idea is to set up an integrated liaisoning office with seven deputy resident officers. Their sole job would be to get the money from the Centre by doing whatever they need to do".
The CS on Wednesday was addressing Deputy Commissioners of all the districts and worried as the State Government has again approached the Centre for early release of funds in the light of model code of conduct coming into force anytime in October.
However, the State seems to lose a major amount of its central share due to lack of utilisation. As per latest figures the State has not been able to spend `4000 crore out of 10,000 crore sanctioned from the Centre in 2013-14.
More worrying is the lapse of funds under Integrated Action Plan (IAP) and Backward Region Grants Fund (BRGF). About ` 170 crore has been lapsed under the IAP out of `510 crore released while just `40 crore can be claimed out of provision of `470 crore under BRGF.
The DCs, in the meeting, were told to stress more on utilising the central funds instead of State funds so that entire amount could be claimed and to hold meetings every month to review flagship schemes which have been reduced to 61 in the State. "You all should send us innovative ideas to make the procedure simple for making the schemes functional. Use of PMRDFs should also be done in the planning process," said Sudhir Prasad, Development Commissioner.
In the wake of drought-like situation prevailing in various parts, the DCs have been told to make contingency plan ready at block level as just 16.7 per cent sowings of paddy, 61 per cent maize, 32 per cent of pulses and 23 per cent of oilseeds have taken place so far. Rural Development Secretary Arun reminded the DCs to revive Panchayat Perspective Plan for at least one panchayat of every district to manage rain water and land development.
Stress has also been given on early completion of Social, Economic and Caste Census (SECC) which has been slow in 12-13 districts and draft publication has not been done. August 15 has been fixed as last date to complete the work as the data would be required to get allocations under food security act.