Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh rapped the Odisha government for failing to spend the funds allocated under various schemes for the agriculture sector. Holding a review meeting over implementation of central schemes with state government officials, Radha Mohan Singh said, "The funds allocated were not spent properly and the government also failed to expedite spending of the allocations made under various agriculture development schemes to the state."
‘The funds allocated by the Center were not spent properly by the Odisha government. They also failed to expedite spending of the allocations made under various agriculture development schemes to the state.’
Singh asked the state government officials to spend the allocations in time. Odisha has lost Rs. 50 crore as funds from the Center due to failure in submitting the detailed project report (DPR) for the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), revealed official sources. They said expenditure on schemes like the Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana, Soil Health Card scheme, national mission on micro irrigation, rainfed area development scheme and national horticulture mission is tardy.
However, Odisha Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy assured that the remaining funds allocated by the Center would be spent by end of March 2016.
Maharathy said, "The state has already spent about 70-80% of the central funds while the balance will be utilized by March-end and the utilization certificate will be submitted in due course of time."
As the state loses Rs. 50 crore under PMKSY, Maharathy attributed the loss of funds to the late arrival of guidelines of the scheme.
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Source-IANS