Uttarakhand: Departments lagging behind in spending infrastructure development budget, performance of these departments is declining year after year

Big claims are made every financial year regarding budget expenditure in Uttarakhand. Even after this, the situation is that this time the pace of budget expenditure is even slower than last time. The situation is such that the departments are not able to spend even the budget of infrastructure development.

In the financial year 2024-25, even after more than six months have passed, till October 15, only Rs 3140 crore could be spent in the capital head, whereas it is much less than the previous financial year. In the financial year 2023-24, an amount of Rs 4800 crore was spent in the first half. Now there is pressure on the government to spend more than 11 thousand crores in the remaining period of the second half of the financial year. In the financial year 2024-25, a budget provision of Rs 14,857 crore has been made in the capital head for development schemes and construction works of assets. Out of this, an amount of Rs 4479 crore has been allocated to the departments for expenditure.

If we look at the figures of budget expenditure, only Rs 3150 crore could be used from the budget allocation in the first half of the current financial year. If the departments are to be believed, the pace of development work remained slow due to the implementation of the code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections in the first quarter of the current financial year i.e. from April to June. After the removal of the code of conduct, the rainy season put a brake on the pace of construction work. In the financial year 2023-24, the government made a record of spending the highest amount of Rs 4800 crore in the first half after the formation of the state. This year, far from breaking this record, a relatively less amount could be spent in the capital item. However, it is also a matter of satisfaction for the state government that even after the election code of conduct and the rainy season, the expenditure in the first half of this year has been more than the previous years, except for last year.

In the past years, a maximum of Rs 2805 crore could be spent in the capital item in the first half. According to the data received from the Accountant General, an amount of Rs 1695 crore was spent in the year 2019-20, Rs 1082 crore in the year 2020-21, Rs 2805 crore in the year 2021-22 and Rs 2138 crore in the year 2022-23 in the capital item. Finance Secretary Dilip Javalkar said that budget expenditure is reviewed from time to time. This time the reason for low budget expenditure has been the election code of conduct and rainy season. The Government of India has given incentive amount. It is expected that the target of 55 percent will be achieved by next month.

Details of expenditure to departments

• The total budget provision for the Rural Development Department is Rs 1632 crore. Out of this, 613 crore was allocated, but the department has been able to spend Rs 565 crore. The department now faces the challenge of spending 100 percent of the allocated budget.
• A total budget of Rs 1380 crore has been kept for the Irrigation Department. Out of this, Rs 547 crore was allocated. Rs 484 crore has been spent.
• Similarly, a total budget of Rs 1440 crore has been kept for the Public Works Department. Rs 815 crore has been allocated to the department. Till October 15, the department has been able to spend Rs 598 crore.
• Urban development, housing and school education lagged far behind in using the capital budget. The budget provision for urban development is Rs 774 crore. Rs 201 crore was allocated to the department. Out of this, only Rs 171 crore could be spent.
• The total budget provision for the housing department in the financial year is Rs 461 crore. Rs 149 crore was allocated to the department. Rs 128 crore has been spent.
• The total budget provision for school education in the capital item is Rs 473 crore. Rs 123 crore has been given to the department. The amount spent is Rs 109 crore.

Finance Secretary Dilip Javalkar said that due to formation of new government at the centre, the budget has come late from the centre. The Chief Minister and Finance Minister review it from time to time. The government is focused on strengthening the economic condition. There has been a lot of income from mining. GST collection has been less than expected.