Odisha: Around Rs 23,848 crore to be provided to state's civic bodies

Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in Odisha will get funds of around Rs 23,848 crore over a period of six years, as per the recommendation of the fifth State Finance Commission.

This was finalised in a high-level monitoring committee meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy in Lokseba Bhawan Conference Hall recently.

Reviewing the issues relating to the transfer of funds as presented by Principal Secretary Finance Ashok Meena, the Chief Secretary directed the panchayats and ULBs to expedite implementation and maximise outcomes of the expenditure.

Development Commissioner Suresh Chandra Mohapatra has asked the self- government bodies to take up the need-based projects having revenue generation potential so as to make those sustainable in the long run.

Tripathy has directed the ULBs to diversify their revenue base and achieve six per cent increase in annual revenue generation.

Further, he directed to release the funds directly to the GPs, Panchayat Samities and Zilla Parishads through PRIASOFT integrated with online Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) system.

It was decided to transfer the funds in two tranches -- the first installment in the month of May-June and second installment in the month of October-November.

The second installment will be released only after completion of the 30 per cent of the work taken up under the fund. The Chief Secretary has directed the PRIs and ULBs to submit the utilisation certificates in time as per specifications of finance department.

Principal Secretary Finance Meena apprised that the total fund of around Rs 2,23,848 crore would be transferred to these bodies over a period of six years from 2020-21 to 2025-26.

Out of this fund, around Rs 7,321 crore will be under the head of the devolution, Rs 9,678 crore would be under assignment of taxes and around Rs 6,849 crore will be provided as grant-in-aid.

Meena further said, "The PRIs will get a total amount of around Rs 15,715.60 crore and the ULBs will get an amount of around Rs 8,132.52 crore during this period."

It was decided in the meeting that the funds will be utilised for the projects like drinking water, water harvesting structures, sanitation, solid waste management, running of projects through solar power, construction of primary school buildings, maintenance of health sub-centres, Anganwadis, livestock centres, roads, culverts, creation of water bodies in urban areas, establishment of water quality testing labs, critical gap in drainage network, drainage of stormwater and maintenance of other community assets for which no specific maintenance grant is available. 

-ANI

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