PANAJI
With the March deadline issued by Centre to utilise the funds allotted to local bodies under the 14th Finance Commission fast approaching, Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho has called for an urgent meeting of all block development officers on Monday.
Despite the Centre’s deadline on utilisation of funds, most of the gram panchayats in the State have not utilised the grants amounting from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore that have been sanctioned. It may be noted that the unutilised grants will have to be returned to the Centre.
The Directorate of Panchayat now has a herculean task of asking panchayats to utilise these funds.
In view of the fund utilisation and to chalk out the future strategy, the panchayat minister has called for an urgent meeting of all block development officers on February 15.
Sources disclosed that now, many panchayats are in a hurry and want to utilise this fund and are bypassing the tender norm and following a quotation procedure. The Directorate of Panchayat has, however, warned panchayats that this will not be allowed and the standard procedure needs to be followed.
The central government will implement the 15th Finance Commission report and as such the money allotted under 14th Finance Commission if not utilised will have to be returned to the central fund.
The 14th Finance Commission allocated Rs 200292 crore as development grant to panchayats across the country.
The grants provided were intended for supporting delivery of important basic services including water supply, sanitation, sewerage, and solid waste management, storm-water drainage, maintenance of community assets, maintenance of roads, footpaths and street lighting etc.
