AGARTALA, May 31 (TIWN): The Left ruled Tripura is likely to be ‘deprived’ of its due share- non-plan expenditure once again and this time by the XIV Finance Commission.
In a review meeting, it came to light that the state has received a substantial amount of approved outlay due to tardy pace of project implementation as well filing to submit utilization certificate to the Centre.As for example, the XIII FC has sanctioned Rs. 1266.99 crore for plan outlay during the period upto 2014-15 FY while the state has so far received only Rs. 721.30 crore leading a gap of Rs. 545 crore.

For rural development, the XIII FC has approved Rs. 369.62 crore whereas the state has received Rs. 173.05 crore so far leading a gap of Rs. 196 crore.

Though only ten months left for commencing of XIV FC regime, the state has received Rs. 9 crore for raising educational infrastructure against its approved outlay of Rs. 23 crore.

Sources claimed the pace of project implementation is very slow due to various reasons leading to very low money-absorption capacity. Most of the XIII FC sponsored projects have got delayed resulted in delay in submitting utilization certificate to the concerned ministry.

“Concerned ministries have virtually blocked installments due to failing of utilization certificate on different projects. This the main reason behind the state being deprived of getting less outlay. And it will have an adverse impact on the state’s outlay during the XIV FC regime”, said a senior bureaucrat on condition of anonymity here today.

The XIV FC would certainly look at the state’s money absorption power while determining the state’s non-plan outlay beginning 2015-16 FY, he added.

Here it may be noted the state had sought Rs. 64,214 crore from the XIV FC to meet the non-plan expenditure as well taking up some development projects.