PNS|Vijayawada
Social Welfare Minister Merugu Nagarjuna has said that 70.81 percent of the Rs 18,518.29 crore allocated under the SC Sub-Plan in the current financial year has been spent by the end of February. The officials were directed to increase the utilisation of Sub-Plan funds and ensure that all the funds allocated for the SCs are used for their welfare. During the 30th nodal agency meeting of SC Sub-Plan held at Secretariat on Tuesday. The Minister reviewed the performance of various departments on the utilization of sub-plan funds. Officials of 43 departments of the government participated in this meeting and explained the expenditure of SC sub-plan funds by their departments.
Speaking on the occasion, Nagarjuna said that the government has allocated Rs 18518.29 crores for the SC Sub-Plan during the financial year 2022-23. However, some departments of the state requested an additional budget for the works proposed by them through the sub-plan, and the government allocated the additional budget, and the total amount allocated is Rs 20605.44 crores, he said. In terms of utilization of Sub-Plan funds, a few departments are progressing beyond expectations while some departments are lagging behind, he said.
The minister praised the performance of departments such as Electricity, Civil Supplies, Public Health, Industries, Medical Education, SC Gurukuls, Sports Authority, Land Administration, Agriculture, Housing for Weaker Sections, Panchayati Raj, which spent the highest percentage of the sub-plan funds.
The officials were advised not to carry forward the funds allocated for the current financial year to the next. It is for this reason that the officials have been directed to see that every rupee of the funds allocated through the sub-plan is used for the SCs, said the Minister.
Principal Secretary Social Welfare Department G Jayalakshmi, Director K Harshavardhan, Additional Director Raghuram, Deputy Director Lakshmi Sudha, and other officials of various departments were present.
