Parl panel pulls up textiles min for fund non-utilisation

A Parliamentary panel has pulled up the Ministry of Textiles for not utilising funds allocated to it and delay in several projects meant for creation of more jobs and welfare of weavers.
The standing committee on labour in its report on the Textiles Ministry tabled in Parliament today observed that the ministry was allocated Rs 15,215.37 crore for the 12th Plan and it could spend only Rs 12,933.80 crore from FY 2012-13 to FY 2015-16.
"The Committee is deeply anguished to note the abysmally low cumulative utilisation of funds by the Ministry of Textiles during the last four years, especially the first two years of the 12th Plan period," it said.

The main reasons for shortfall in utilisation was mainly because of procedural delays as non-receipt of viable proposals, delay in receipt of utilisation certificate, it added.
"The committee is therefore of the firm view that it is high time the ministry ironed out the deficiencies/anomalies and worked out concrete measures so as to ensure optimal utilisation of the plan outlays in the coming years," it said.
It also noticed that the ministry has failed to achieve the targets during FY 2015-16 in schemes as National Handloom Development Programme, Handloom Weavers Comprehensive Welfare Scheme, Research & Development Programme, Ambedkar Hastshlip Vikas Yojna, Powerloom Group Insurance etc.

"The committee, therefore, calls upon the ministry to singularly focus on removing the chronic malaise that has been affecting implementation of the plan schemes," it said.

It also noted that the ministry has fixed no targets for some schemes and the relevant columns for has been left blank without adequate reasoning.
"The committee is dissatisfied to note that no target has been fixed for some schemes and for some other schemes, achievement has been stated to be 'not quantifiable', as is revealed from the documents furnished," the committee said.
Moreover, the ministry also failed to complete its target to organise 400 domestic exhibition cum sales events to promote the handloom and weavers. The committee noted that it has completed its all nine targeted international events.

"The committee urged the ministry to take requisite corrective measures so that the targeted 350 domestic and 22 international events during 2016-17 are organised and weavers are suitably benefited," it added.
It also noted that due to less awareness and lack of interest, enrollment of weavers for the life insurance scheme is very low.
However, the panel appreciated the ministry for extending loans to weavers under Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojna to the entrepreneurs and suggested the ministry to "remain vigilant and strengthen their coordination mechanism with the banks" to ensure it is actually availed by the weavers.
It has also suggested the ministry, which is setting up a Rs 281 crore Trade Facilitation Center and crafts Museum at PM's constituency Varanasi, to set up similar centres in other parts of the country.