The Standing Committee of Parliament on Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, headed by BJP MP Locket Chatterjee, has criticised the States for not submitting utilisation certificates (UCs) of various centrally sponsored schemes. The report of the panel on the Demands of Grants of the Food Ministry, tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, said the non-submission of UCs had resulted in the delay of SUC schemes.
The report said a large number of UCs were pending from various State governments in respect of various schemes of the Ministry. “For example, under Central Sector scheme for storage and godowns, UCs worth ₹10.24 crore and ₹5.98 crore are pending from State governments and FCI, respectively. Further, UCs amounting to ₹21,76,708 and ₹16,97,784 are pending under generating awareness amongst targeted public distribution system beneficiaries project and the Uttar Pradesh Grain Bank Scheme, respectively,” the report said.
The panel said that non-receipt of UCs had remained a recurring problem which resulted in non-release of remaining allocated funds by the Ministry to the State governments for various schemes/ projects. “This in turn might have led to delay in completion of the projects/ schemes. The Committee, therefore, would like to be apprised of the projects/ schemes which could not be completed due to stoppage of further funding by the Ministry for want of UCs in various States,” the report added.
It noted that the Ministry had been pursuing the matter with the concerned State governments. “The Committee suggests that the matter be taken up with the Ministry concerned of the State government to impress upon the need for furnishing UCs,” the panel said.
Promote millets
The Committee recommended the Ministry to encourage the production and procurement of millets in the States, especially those States having significant tribal population such as Rajasthan, MP and Chattisgarh etc. and provide all possible aid/ assistance/ bonus to farmers opting to grow millets.
“Similarly, the procurement of wheat and rice may be enhanced from the States having higher production of wheat and rice. Further, in order to encourage the consumption of millets, the committee further suggests that the beneficiaries of different schemes should be given option to bundle millets along with wheat and rice within their entitled quantity,” the report said.
