Rs 212.60 crore outstanding in 2020-21; Cumulative due at Rs 609 crore
Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 22
The delay in submissions of Utilisation Certificates (UCs) for projects and grants, instead of decreasing, is riding in Nagaland, highlighted the 'State Finances Audit Report' of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India relating to the Government of Nagaland for the year ending March 31, 2021.
As per the report tabled on the floor of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) on September 22, during the year 2020-21, 78 grants involving Rs 212.60 crore provided to 21 Departments for which UCs were for submission.
The data provided by the CAG informed that it increased from Rs 70.66 in 2019-20. Since 2016-17, the amount of outstanding UCs has been gradually increasing, the year-wise break up data informed.
Overall, till 2020-21, there were a total of 251 grants involving an amount of Rs 609 crore, for which UCs were outstanding.
Top-5 defaulters were Rural Development (Rs 184.35 crore), Planning and Coordination Department (Rs 166.54 crore); Education Department (Rs 73.65 crore); Industries and Commerce (Rs 47.85 crore), and Social Security and Welfare (Rs 32.29).
“Pending UCs violate prescribed financial rules and directives, and reflects poor monitoring mechanism of the State Government, the CAG noted in the report.
Moreover, high pendency is fraught with risk of misappropriation of funds and the State could lose out on central funds for want of UCs, it said. Non-submission of the means that the authorities have not explained as to how funds were spent, it added. “State Government may ensure timely submission of all UCs due by the recipients of grants.”
Among others, the General Financial Rules stipulated that a grantee Organisation or Institution getting non-recurring grants is ‘required to submit a certificate of actual utilisation of the grants received for the purpose for which it was sanctioned within twelve months,’ the report said.
Meanwhile, the report also highlighted that there 373 Abstract Contingent (AC) Bills involving Rs 562.30 crore pending for adjustment by submission of Detailed Countersigned Contingent (DCC) Bills, as of March 2021.
Out of these, 23 AC bills amounting to Rs 243.48 crore pertained to the year 2020-21.
The non-adjustment of AC Bills is fraught with the risk of misappropriation and therefore, requires close monitoring by the respective Drawing and Disbursing Officers for ensuring submission of DCC bills, the CAG noted.
Further, there is no assurance that the expenditure of the State Government reflected in the Finance Accounts is correct or final due to non-receipt of DCC bills to that extent, it added.
