Bulk of funds under Tribal Sub Plan not utilised
Depts include agriculture, power, health, PWD and sports and youth affairs
THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
According to numbers released by the Tribal Welfare department, the bulk of funds that come from the Centre towards the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) go unutilized. The Tribal welfare department itself used only 14 percent of its funds for projects that include infrastructure development projects in ST areas.
Other departments that have been given sums that are over a crore and are not used to their entirety include the departments of agriculture, electricity, health, PWD and sports and youth affairs. Over the years, the amount of sanctioned funds to each department has fluctuated but a major chunk of this amount goes underutilized.
The Public Works Department (PWD) has relatively used most of their funds in projects providing rural water supply, rural sanitation and construction of rural roads. In 2012-13, the PWD spent Rs 20 crore of its sanctioned Rs 60 crore while this year, it has managed to spend only Rs 10 crore of its sanctioned Rs 55 crore.
The electricity department has over the years spent an average of about Rs 15 crore in setting up substations. In the past these had been done at Amona, Cuncolim, Xeldem, Kadamba and Verna. Their projects have also included providing solar lanterns and CFLs to tribal populations. On the health front, financial assistance has been provided to ST persons of Goan origin for specialized and super specialized treatment. In 2012, there were only four patients covered under this scheme, but by 2015-16, there were 87 patients that availed of the benefit totaling Rs 32.32 lakh in mediclaim.
Other department spending include in upgradation of hospitals and sub centers in ST inhabited areas, supplying medicines and purchasing machinery and equipment. This year, the department of health services spent Rs 5.32 crore of the Rs 10.40 crore it was allotted.
The Tribal Sub Plan had been launched by the central government to help the tribal community in India with socio economic development. Every year the central government under its planning department earmarks a certain amount that is given to the State tribal welfare department. Funds are granted to states proportionate to the tribal population.
