Nalin Kumar Kateel unhappy over poor utilization of central funds

Nalin Kumar Kateel unhappy over poor utilization of central funds

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, September 29: MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said during the DK Zilla Panchayat review meeting that the ZP is slow in implementing the various schemes of the central government.

Urging the concerned authorities to repair the damaged national highways immediately, he said that the persistent rains have utterly destroyed the highways, which need to repaired without further delay. Krishnaiah Gowda, the executive engineer of the NH Mangalore division, told Mr. Kateel that a proposal for Rs. 1.68 crore to fill potholes along the highways has already been sent to the centre. A 30km stretch along NH13, 48, and 243 has been identified, which requires immediate repair, he added, assuring that work will commence as soon as the government approves the project.

Mr. Kateel told the officials that central government funds should be utilized at the earliest possible, failing which the central government will not release fresh funds and that matching funds from the state government will also be delayed under such circumstances. He urged the officials to complete projects related to drinking water, electrification, road construction, education and health, and so on. He also asked the DC’s office to monitor the utilization of these funds on a regular basis. Additional Deputy Commissioner Prabhakar Sharma was present.

Later, he told reporters that he was not happy about the progress of projects sponsored by the centre in DK. According to details collected during the meeting, the ZP was utilizing only 45 percent of the funds from the centre, which is delaying state funding in case of many schemes, most of which were in the area of women and child welfare, rural roads, electrification, rural infrastructure, and water distribution.

He also informed that a proposal for 17 railway underpasses at various places in DK has already been sent, in which it was agreed that 50 percent of the costs will be borne by the state. He added that Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) has agreed to bear the costs of constructing an underpass at Padil and that the APMC has agreed to bear 50 percent of the costs of constructing an underpass at Puttur.