95% utilisation certificates not submitted by Goa govt: CAG

The Comptroller Auditor General report for financial year 2014-15 has commended the state government over its enthusiastic fiscal performance, but has cast doubts over monitoring of utilisation of grants and loans for various developmental projects.

The CAG has noted that 95 per cent of the utilization certificates given under grants or loans were not submitted by various state government departments till June 2015.

"As of June 2015, 10, 995 utilisation certificates (UCs) were due in respect of grants and loans aggregating Rs 1,515.54 crore but 10,436 UCs (which amounts to 95 per cent of the total) for an aggregate amount of Rs 1,449 crore was outstanding," reads the CAG report which was tabled on the floor of the House during ongoing State legislative assembly session by chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar today.

The major cases of non-submission of UCs mainly pertained to Directorate of Art and Culture (30 per cent), Directorate of Panchayat (North) (21 per cent), Directorate of panchayats (South) (16 per cent), Directorate of Municipal Administration (nine per cent).

The CAG has observed that non-submission of UCs in time may result in mis-utilisation of grants.

"The large pendency in submission of UCs indicates lack of monitoring of utilisation of grants and loans by the departments," it added.

However, in a morale boost for the Goa government, the CAG reporthas commended the work of BJP-led state government of achieving revenue surplus during the fiscal 2014-15.

"The state government has improved its fiscal situation during 2014-15. The revenue deficit of Rs 353 crore during 2013-14 has turned into revenue surplus of Rs 279 crore during 2014-15," the CAG report said.

"This was attributed mainly due to increase in revenue receipts by 19.21 per cent against an increase in revenue expenditure by 8.92 per cent over the previous year," the CAG has mentioned in its 90-page report dissecting the management of finances in the state during fiscal 2014-15.

The CAG has noted that fiscal deficit which was Rs 1,352 crore during 2013-14 was reduced to Rs 948 crore during 2014-15.

"The fiscal deficit as a percentage of Gross State Domestic Product in the current year (2014-15) was within the target of three per cent fixed by Goa Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) (First Amendment) Act, 2014.

Passing a comment complimenting the state government, the CAG said, "Goa government should continue with its commendable work of achieving revenue surplus and containing fiscal deficit with the targets fixed under the Goa FRBM in the coming years.