GUWAHATI, May 18 � Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said the State government was complying with all standard norms for maintaining transparency in utilising Central funds. He also announced that online computerisation of treasuries would be put in place within the next six months to ensure that the reconciliation process becomes smooth and effective.
Refuting the recent statement of Union Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs Sarbananda Sonowal that the Assam government had failed in providing utilisation certificates (UCs) for funds received from the Centre, Gogoi said there had been sustained efforts from vested interests to malign the image of the State government by spreading canards.
In a statement, Gogoi said that as against the allegation that Assam had been paying dearly for non-submission of utilisation certificates for Rs 11,000 crore Central funds, the startling fact was that there had always been a mismatch between the UCs submitted by the implementing agencies and the AG due to the dynamic process of continuous flow of funds and ongoing schemes. Recognising this fact, accounting procedure provides for a system of reconciliation. After the recent reconciliation in March 2015 itself, it had been reconciled with the AG for the UCs already submitted earlier for Rs 5042.19 crore, and for the next few months the balance figures would also be reconciled. Further, a substantial part of the balance UCs which are yet to be reconciled are related to the State�s own funds such as Grants-in-aid provided to universities, colleges, medical colleges, development councils/autonomous councils, roads, irrigation, flood control etc.
The Chief Minister said the allegation of non-submission of UCs resulting in cut in Central funds, also did not hold good because non-submission of UCs could lead to delayed release of subsequent instalments of the sanctioned ongoing schemes within the same financial year. It did not have any adverse effect on the schemes of the new financial year. The reconciliation issue of UCs belonged to the previous years up to 2013-14 and not for the funds allotted in the Budget for 2015-16.
Further, 12 Central schemes were struck off by the Central government not only for Assam, but also for all 29 states and seven UTs in the country. Moreover, in many schemes like Rastriya Krishi Vikash Yojana (RKVY), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) etc, funding pattern was changed from 90:10 and thus virtually declaring Assam and all other NE states as non-special category states, putting these hitherto Special Category states on the same footing with resource rich states.
Meanwhile, an official release said that as against the allegation that the State government was not serious about submission of UCs, as per the direction of the Chief Minister the Chief Secretary reviewed the matter with the departments and AG (Audit), Assam. Within a month the departments reconciled the figures of UCs with the AG to the tune of Rs 5042.19 crore. As a result the pendency of UCs shown by the AG as on March 31, 2014 would further come down to bare minimum once the AG submits its report for the period ending March 31, 2015.
It may be mentioned that the Government of India allows 12-18 months for submission of UCs in most of the schemes.
At the direction of the Chief Minister there has been considerable progress by the departments towards reconciliation. The Chief Minister has asked all the departments to undertake regular quarterly reconciliation meetings with the AG and the current figures indicated by AG shall be completely reconciled within six months.
Moreover, it is to be noted that reduction of allotment of funds by the Union Budget 2015-16 to Assam to the tune of more than Rs 7000 crore is no way linked to fund utilisation of previous years as the Central government discontinued some important programmes and changed the funding pattern to the disadvantage of the Special Category states.
Further, the State Government�s financial position is stable enough and salaries and pensions of the employees are being paid regularly without any hindrance. All developmental schemes announced by the Chief Minister will also be implemented during the current year. However, the State government is deeply concerned about the various field functionaries like Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, voluntary personnel associated with MGNREGA, etc, as the Central government either discontinued these programmes or downscaled them in terms of funds by reducing the funding pattern from 90:10.
