Assam yet to submit 196 Utilization Certificates amounting to Rs 232.27 crore

DEVELOPMENT WORKS UNDER DoNER

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam government has failed to submit 196 UCs (Utilization Certificates) amounting to Rs 232.27 crore since inception of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) in September 2001. This cumulative backlog has been highlighted in the Ministry's status report on September 30, 2020. The report further says that among the eight NE States, Assam has the maximum number of pending UCs.

The Ministry released Rs 4,694.18 crore against 547 schemes over the mentioned period. Of these, the State utilized Rs 3,980.73 crore in 498 schemes. As on September 30, 2020, the DoNER status report shows the unspent amount as Rs 713.46 crore for 258 schemes.

The DoNER releases funds to the north-eastern States on a yearly basis. While the share ratio between the Centre and States with respect to specific schemes is 90:10, in others the Centre bears the entire cost of such development schemes.

Following the completion of a specific work and also the subsequent release of funds for it by the State government, the executing department submits the UC to the Transformation & Development Department, which then forwards the same to the DoNER.

Meanwhile, department sources claimed that the number of pending UCs is less than the number shown in the status report. They also stated that the defaulting departments have been asked to submit their UCs at the earliest.

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