DoNER reviewing fund utilisation process in northeast

DoNER Minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said his ministry was reviewing the process of utilisation of government funds allocated for development of the northeastern region.

"There are a number of factors responsible for inadequate utilisation of the allocated funds. In addition to the need to increase the amount of allocated funds, there is also an urgent need to overcome the factors responsible for inadequate utilisation of allocated or available funds," Singh said at an interactive programme organised by the Federation of Industry and Commerce of North Eastern Region (Finer).

Union minister Kiren Rijiju and parliamentarians from the northeast P.D. Rai, Neiphiu Rio and Mukut Mithi were also present.

Citing that very often funds were not released because of the late availability of the detailed project reports (DPRs), Singh said the funds lapse and the projects get delayed because of it and the total cost of the project also thus gets escalated.

"Sometimes after the release of the first initial instalment of funds, the subsequent grants do not get released because of the failure of the state governments to furnish utilisation certificates (UCs) on time.

"To overcome these delays, the ministry has worked out a number of new methods including online submission of DPRs and UCs as well as involvement of the Delhi-based resident commissioners for follow-up of the projects of their respective states," he said.