Non submission of UCs impact Centre’s fund flow in J&K
Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Srinagar Aug 11 (KINS): The non-submission of utilization certificates by various departments has been “impacting” the Centre’s fund flow, leading to “hampering” growth to Jammu and Kashmir.
The departmental heads have been directed to submit utilization certification to the government for transparency in utilization of funds of various developmental works.
However, it has been found that various departments have not submitted the utilization certification for various schemes to the government.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has failed to submit utilisation certificates for grants worth more than Rs 10,000 crores to the Centre till March 2021, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) said.
Non-submission of the UCs means the authorities have not explained how funds were spent over the years in the Union territory, the apex auditing body said.
A senior official said some departments either avoid follow up or are indifferent towards submission of utilization certificates to the concerned ministries in Government of India, which “adversely impacts flow of funds and thus hampers the development of Jammu and Kashmir”.
The official said centrally sponsored schemes play a pivotal role in achieving desired levels of development in Jammu and Kashmir, therefore, important to ensure expeditious implementation of such projects, which necessitates timely submission of UCs and timely achievement of physical and financial milestones.”
The government has directed the departments to ensure “regular follow-up” with the concerned ministries in government of India for accessing funds under centrally sponsored schemes and ensure timely submission of utilization certification.
An official of the Finance Department said that it was mandatory for departments to submit utilization certification so that the government knows where the money has been utilised.
“But various departments are not submitting utilization certificates to the concerned ministry. The Centre has already stopped the funds to various schemes resulting in hampering of growth to J&K,” the official told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
According to a government circular issued to departments last year, it has been observed that various administrative departments do not fully utilize the funds authorized under different centrally sponsored schemes during the currency of a particular financial year and often seek “revalidation of the funds even upto the fag end of the next financial year”.
Government has issued circulars several times that departments do not fully utilise the funds authorized under different centrally sponsored schemes.
In one of the circulars, the government had said, “All the administrative departments shall provide the details of allocation under different centrally sponsored schemes to the Finance Department. They shall also share with the Finance department the pending proposals/claims with concerned Union ministry, if any, during the currency of the current financial year to facilitate follow up action, if required, by the Finance Department.” (KINS)
