DIMAPUR, AUGUST 28 (MExN): People for Democratic Rights (PDR) on Tuesday revealed that the Finance Department released a whopping Rs 3.45 crore in favour of the Planning & Co-ordination (P&C) Department from March 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018 for the purpose of purchasing stationery, computers, printers, administrative expenses and consumables.
Astounded over the expenditure of such a huge amount on stationeries, Media & Publicity Affairs, PDR in a press statement mentioned that the said figure was arrived at after totaling the amounts released through Drawal Authorities dated March 1, 2017, March 9, 2017 (2 DAs), March 18, 2017 (6 DAs), August 1, 2017, August 24, 2017, January 15, 2018 (2 DAs), March 22, 2018, March 23, 2018 (2 DAs) and March 26, 2018.
Out of the total amount, PDR alleged that an amount of Rs 27, 48, 875 (totaling to Rs 54, 97,750) was released twice on the same date of January 15, 2018 under DA No. 47 and 51 “for procurement of CNC machine, computers, accessories and consumables under GIS & Remote Sensing Centre.”
Both the DA numbers have been overwritten with a pen over DA number 49. In this regard, the PDR has urged either the Finance Department (B&MC) or Planning Department to clarify. PDR also expressed concern on the meager utilization of amount for the intended purpose of financially assisting UPSC candidates while the bigger amount was spent for other purposes not earmarked.
It expressed surprise that when the department was unable to utilize the bigger amount of the earmarked fund owing to very less amount of financial assistance provided to the UPSC candidates, the government further increased the fund allocation from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh during 2017-18.
Providing details, PDR said during 2017-18, out of the Rs 25 laks fund allocated, only Rs 2, 75, 000 was utilized and the remaining Rs 22, 25, 000 has been carried forward to the current financial year.
Looking at the trend of amount utilization during the last two financial years when Rs 4 lakh was hardly utilized each year, the remaining balance of Rs 22 lakh (without further fund allocation) could well be utilized for another 4-5 years provided the number of candidates given financial assistance remain within 10-15 and the amount fixed at Rs 25, 000 per person, it stated.
PDR meanwhile suggested that the state government may also consider increasing the amount of financial assistance if allocation of funds for UPSC candidates is to continue. It said there is a clear existing balance of Rs 22 lakh which is more than enough to cover the next few financial years.
