Utilisation of funds unsatisfactory: Parliamentary Committee

NEW DELHI: Dissatisfied with the under-utilisation of outlay in the Information Sector of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, a Parliamentary Committee has said various projects/schemes being implemented should be critically analysed and remedial action taken to effectively utilise the outlay.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology noted that out of the total Plan allocation of Rs 63.11 billion for the Eleventh Plan, the Information sector had been allocated Rs 3.14 billion, which works out to 4.9 per cent of the budgetary allocation.

During the year 2009-10, the revised budget allocation was Rs 760 million, which was enhanced to Rs 852.7 million and the actual expenditure was Rs 784.9 million which comes to 92.04 per cent.

During the year 2010-11, the budget estimates allocation was Rs 1.2175 million which was increased to Rs 1.2841 million at the revised estimates stage. But only Rs 742.1 million could be utilised up to February 2011, which works out to 57.79 per cent.

As compared to the year 2009-10, the performance during 2010-11 under the Information Sector is clearly unsatisfactory, the Committee said.