Progress of top development schemes remains constrained in India: Study

Progress across major development schemes in India, including education, health and nutrition among others, remains constrained due to sub-optimal utilisation of available funds, especially at the district level, according to a recent study by Tata Trust.

The study by Tata Trust and Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA) stressed that India needs to improve utilisation of budgetary resources, across all levels of governance, given the limited fiscal space available to the government.

"Progress across major development schemes in India, including education, health and nutrition, water and sanitation, agriculture and rural development, livelihood, among others, remains constrained due to sub-optimal utilisation of available funds, especially at the district level," Tata Trust said in a statement.

According to statement, pressing challenges related to staff shortages, their capacity, transparency and accountability in public financial management, monitoring have not received adequate attention.

"These need to be addressed urgently. There are also concerns with respect to the quality in fund utilisation across schemes," it said.

The 2-year study focused on ten social sector schemes including Sarva Shikshya Abhiyan (SSA), Mid-Day Meal (MDM), National Health Mission (NHM), Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM).

Other schemes included National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employement Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) in five districts across of Balasore and Bolangir in Odisha, Chandrapur in Maharashtra, East Singhbhum in Jharkhand, and Krishna in Andhra Pradesh.