Maha Governor raps health dept for failing to utilise funds

Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao in his directives issued to the state government today expressed serious concern over the failure of its Public Health Department to fully utilise the funds allocated for the backward regions of Vidarbha, Marathwada and Rest of Maharashtra (ROM).
The Governor in his directives for utilisation of funds allocated to the Statutory Development Boards (SDBs) of Vidarbha, Marathwada and ROM noted that in the financial year 2015-16 the expenditure in public health sector by end of December 2015 was only Rs 34.32 crore against the allocated Rs 167.80 crore.
The Governor sought a detailed action plan from principal secretary, Public Health, within two months, to use the funds.

Shiv Sena's Dr Deepak Sawant holds the Public Health portfolio.
Regarding the development backlog in the irrigation sector in the backward regions under these three SDBs, the Governor noted that despite periodically revisiting the action plan for removing the irrigation backlog between 2010 to 2015, the Water Resources Department could not end the backlog in irrigation in Amravati, Akola, Washim and Buldhana districts of Vidarbha.
The Governor directed the government to allocate a total of Rs 5,410.53 crore for 2016-17 for the three SDBs to remove the irrigation backlog. The Water Resources ministry is headed by BJP's Girish Mahajan.
Taking note of large number of vacancies in the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation which severely impacts the ongoing projects, the Governor directed the state to fill the vacancies within four months.

Of the total 358 posts in group A and 974 posts in group B at VIDC, only 29 and 346 posts respectively have been filled.