New Delhi, July 29: Assam and Nagaland are among five states that got red marks in their report cards from the Union rural development ministry for not meeting deadlines on several projects.
During a review earlier this week, the ministry found that these states, along with Goa, Haryana and Uttarakhand, have not been implementing projects at the required pace. The review was conducted in respect of three components of the Area Development Programme: Integrated Wastelands Development Programme (IWDP), Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP) and Desert Development Programme (DDP).
Minister for rural development Raghuvansh Prasad Singh will write to the respective chief ministers of these states shortly.
Nagaland, which is preparing for Assembly elections early next year, has been sanctioned Rs 183 crore — of which Rs 109 crore has been released — but the performance is dismal. Of the 42 projects sanctioned, only seven have been completed.
Ministry officials say there is sluggishness in the implementation of projects despite reminders and an obvious fear that funds may henceforth be held back. In at least one component, Assam is worse. Only one of the 149 IWDP projects sanctioned has been completed by the state, while others are pending.
The area to be treated is 9.08 lakh hectares and the cost of the project sanctioned is Rs 535 crore, against which Rs 149 crore have been released, official sources said.
With the Centre not willing to overlook shoddy work, states will have three months to produce results. The Union ministry will undertake another review in November, official sources added. The minister asked the states to expedite implementation and said funds should be utilised in such a manner that targets, in terms of physical achievements, are met.
States have been asked to hold regular review meetings with project implementation agencies. The ministry is also encouraging the formation of local vigilance and monitoring committees.
Details of projects must be shared with all the people’s representatives and transparency, accountability and social audit must be ensured, the minister said.
Courtesy: The Telegraph
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