November 28, 2001
‘43’
| RAJYA SABHA |
FUNDS FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT SCHEME TO ASSAM
Minister for Rural Development, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu said that full Central share of funds for Rural Development Programmes could not be released to the Government of Assam last year and so far in the current year because the State authorities did not release the State matching share, as required under the Guidelines of the Schemes and Programmes. The requisite Utilisation Certificates and Audit Reports were also not furnished by the State authorities in respect of various Schemes. This information was given by the Minister in a written reply to a question by Shri Drupad Borgohain in Rajya Sabha today.
The State Government have since indicated willingness to release the State share for the current year and it has, accordingly, been agreed, in principle, to release instalments for the current year for the Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS) (and other Rural Development Programmes), subject to a commitment by the Government of Assam that sanction and release of the matching share of the State for the current year will be ensured by the end of the financial year, 2001-2002.