Badal govt not fully utilising Central funds: Tewari

Funds provided annually to Punjab by the Central government for development and welfare schemes are not being fully utilised, Union minister Manish Tewari alleged here today.
Rs 1000 crore are being provided annually to Punjab for various welfare and developmental schemes, but the amount is not being "fully utilised", he said at a public meeting in village Dangian.
The UPA government at the Centre is fully committed to developing and strengthening infrastructure in the country, Tewari said after laying the foundation stone of a road under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY).
Over two lakh kms of rural roads have been added to the network during the past eight years, he said.

More than 20,100 kms of all weather roads have been constructed or upgraded costing over Rs 6450 crore during last fiscal, the minister said.
The allocation for PMGSY has been increased to Rs 1,24,013 crore during the 12th Five Year Plan to further improve rural connectivity, he said.

Referring to the National Food Security Ordinance, Tewari said beneficiaries will get rice, wheat and coarse grain at the rate of Rs 3, Rs 2 and Rs 1 respectively.
The scheme will cover country's 81 crore population, he said.
Tewari, an MP from Ludhiana, hoped the National Food Security Ordinance will get Parliament's nod during the coming Monsoon session.

The government is in the process to ensure that the benefits of various welfare and developmental schemes must reach targeted beneficiaries, he said.
The Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme is a major step towards this direction, the minister said.
Central pensions, scholarships and LPG subsidies are being deposited to the Aadhar-linked bank accounts of the beneficiaries, he said.