Over Rs 21,000-cr budgetary savings show planning errors: CAG

Report says excess expenditure, erroneous budgeting, injudicious re-appropriations and delay in surrender of savings were noticed in the planning department

Slow pace of implementation of various developmental programmes in Maharashtra has left an overall saving of Rs 21,155.62 crore, clearly indicating inaccurate estimation of funds and lack of control mechanism in planning, a CAG report said.

According to the CAG report tabled in the state Legislative Assembly today, the actual saving of Rs 21,155.62 crore in the last fiscal constituted 100 per cent of the supplementary budget of Rs 14,349.16 crore and four per cent of the original provision.

The overall savings of Rs 21,155.62 crore were the net result of savings of Rs 22,427.90 crore set off by excess of Rs 1272.28 crore.

Anticipated savings of Rs 25,198.82 cr were surrendered on the last two working days of the financial year.

Persistent excess expenditure, erroneous budgeting, injudicious re-appropriations and delay in surrender of savings were noticed in the planning department, the report said.

The CAG has recommended that all departments should closely monitor expenditure against allocations and incurring of excess expenditure over the grants should be strictly avoided.

The report also said surrender of funds should be done much before the close of the year so as to enable the government to utilise funds on other schemes.

Release of funds at the end of the year should be avoided and care should be taken in submitting proposals for supplementary appropriations.