Govt depts clock 82% spending in 2012-13

Tepid spending by industries, revenue and IT depts

Government departments in Odisha have logged expenditure level of 82.20 per cent for 2012-13. The departments spent Rs 46,598.37 crore against a total outlay of Rs 56,687.56 crore for the last fiscal.

While no department was able to spend the entire funds allocated to it, many departments breached the level of 90 per cent expenditure- commerce (95.68 per cent), works (94.29 per cent), food supplies and consumer welfare (98.74 per cent), labour & employment (95.70 per cent), agriculture (94.10 per cent) and transport (92.47 per cent) to name a few.

However, spending by three departments- revenue (8.11 per cent), industries (19.92 per cent) and information technology-IT (46.21 per cent) was lacklustre.

While expenditure under State Plan was Rs 15,027 crore, that under Central Plan and Centrally Sponsored Plan stood at Rs 603.26 crore and Rs 1,708.73 crore respectively.

For 2013-14, the finance department has prepared a set of guidelines for utilisation of budgeted funds by the administrative departments.

According to these guidelines, topmost priority has to be given expenditure on creation of capital assets, completion of projects, reduction in Non-Plan expenditure and cost of operation of various services. The departments are to release funds according to a definite action plan for achieving the quantifiable physical target fixed for 2013-14. The department secretaries will review physical achievement against expenditure by 15th of every month.

The guidelines state that while releasing funds, priority should be given for programmes or schemes where expenditure is reimbursable. This can include the state government's flagship programmes like Biju KBK (Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput) Yojana, Gopabandhu Grameen Yojana, Biju Gram Jyoti, Biju Saharanchal Yojana, Mo Kudia, Madhubabbu Pension Yojana and Biju Setu Yojana.

Since the expenditure pattern in the state is largely skewed and back loaded, the finance department has emphasized on even pacing of expenditure commensurate with revenue receipts, it has suggested administrative departments to formulate monthly and quarterly expenditure plans from the beginning of the year to avoid rush of expenditure towards the year-end.

Reiterating the guidelines of the Cash Management System introduced in 2010-11, the finance department has asked departments to restrict spending to 40 per cent for the last quarter (January-March period) and 15 per cent for the last month (March) of the fiscal.