Par panel asks Ministry to move Plan Commn for hike in funds

Expressing unhappiness over the "meagre" Plan and Budget allocation to the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, a Parliamentary Committee has asked the Department to convey its concern to the Planning Commission and seek an increase in funds.
The Committee also recommended to the Ministry to bring new expenditure norms to the notice of states and persuade them to send their proposals early in first quarter of financial year.
"The Committee expresses its unhappiness at the meagre allocation made to the Department for the 12th Plan as well as the allocation made in the budget 2013-14. The Committee desires that the Department should convey its concern to the Planning Commission, pursue vigorously for increase in allocation of funds," the report said.

It noted that the 12th Plan allocation to the Department is Rs 29,400 crore, in spite of the fact the three working groups of the Planning Commission has proposed an allocation of Rs 4.26 lakh crore.
It also expressed its displeasure at the underutilization of funds by the Ministry.
"Against a budgetary allocation of Rs 5,415 crore for the Department, the revised estimates were reduced to Rs 4,750.76 crore and the actual expenditure was Rs 4,657.36 crore," the Committee said.
The cut, as informed by the Department, was due to the new expenditure norms whereby the Department must spend 67 per cent of the allocation under each scheme by December.

The Department had sought an allocation of Rs 18,550 crore for the annual plan 2013-14, which was curtailed to one third--Rs 6,065 crore by the Planning Commission, it said.