Local bodies seek more time
With the financial year coming to a close, local bodies in the district are pinning hopes on government for granting them a one month extension for utilization of remaining funds for development projects.
The plea was raised at the district planning committee meeting by local bodies. The model code of conduct for the Piravom bypoll was cited as reason for the failure to utilize the fund.
A total of Rs 292.96 crore has been allocated to civic bodies during this fiscal, including outstanding balance and budget allocation.
“Local bodies could not utilize even 40 percent of the funds allotted to them till now. With four days more to go, it seems that more than 50 per cent of the funds will lapse,” said a top official in the district planning office.
Many local bodies are yet to initiate projects approved by the planning committee and some of those initiated are stuck in red tape due to technical delays.
Till January 3, the 84 gram panchayats in the district utilized Rs 38.43 crore of the Rs 140.93 crore allocated for the fiscal, which amounted to a mere 27.27 per cent.
Block panchayats spent Rs 10.54 crore of the allocated Rs 33.53 crore while municipalities utilized Rs 11.29 crore of the sanctioned Rs 42.54 crore.
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