Plan funds to MOSPI inconsistent with capacity to spend: Panel

The Plan funds allocated to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) were not consistent with the capacity of the Ministry to spend as the allocated funds were underutilised in the last three years, a Parliamentary Panel said today.

"During the preceding three years, the actual plan expenditure of the MOSPI was than 50 per cent of the allocated Budget of each year...Such a trend only indicates that the funds allocated for plan side were not consistent with the capacity of the Ministry to spend the funds," Standing Committee on Finance, chaired by BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, said in a report tabled in Parliament today.

The Committee asked the Ministry to devise an effective mechanism for identifying and overcoming deficiencies in the existing system of budgetary planning for assessment of funds required and proper utilisation of allocated funds.

"The actual expenditure of MOSPI (excluding MPLADS) in 2010-11 was Rs 114.03 crore as compared to Budget Estimates of Rs 268.08 crore. In 2011-12 actual expenditure was Rs 262.47 crore whereas BE (Budget Estimates) was Rs 600 crore. The expected expenditure in 2012-13 was about Rs 340 crore whereas BE was Rs 631 crore."

The Committee noted that during 2012-13, total expenditure incurred on the India Statistical Strengthening Project (ISSP) was Rs 22.54 crore, whereas BE was as high as Rs 200 crore.

"The Committee hope that the Ministry would utilise the budget allocation in the 12 Plan period (2012-17)," it said.

Expressing unhappiness, the Committee said there was persistent underutilisation of the budgetary allocation under the Basic Statistics for Local Level Development (BSLLD) scheme.

It asked the Ministry to explore feasibility of collecting data for urban areas also during the 12th Plan Period for holistic local level planning in states.

Referring to shortage of manpower in Statistics Wing of the Ministry, it said the problem could be overcome by qualitative and optimum utilisation of available manpower and by outsourcing the work for conducting survey, data collection etc.