JOIN USThe Government has been able to spend just Rs 646.10 crore against the budgetary allocation of Rs 2,464 crore till October this year - the progress is just 26 per cent.
In 15 districts, the money spent under the SDP is less than 20 per cent.
These details were part of a report presented by the department of Planning and Statistics on the SDP at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Friday.
However, there has been about eight per cent progress this year in implementing the SDP compared to last year. In 2009-10 (till October), the Government had spent Rs 485.62 crore against the budget allocation of Rs 2,578.83 crore - a mere 18.83 per cent.
Regional imbalance
The SDP was introduced in 2007-08 for development of backward areas identified in the Nanjundappa committee report on regional imbalance.
The plan is to spend Rs 31,000 crore in eight years in these areas. But huge amount of money released under the SDP has lapsed over the last three years. Gulbarga division tops the list with 35.71 per cent of the money lapsing.
Of the Rs 2,072 crore released for the division since 2007-08, only Rs 1,332 crore has been spent, with Rs 739 crore lapsing. In Belgaum division, 30.25 per cent of money has lapsed.
Commerce and Industries department has miserably failed to utilise the funds. Of Rs 85.70 crore released, it was able to spend just Rs 9.02 crore. The Home department has failed to utilise 73.48 per cent of the funds.
Action plans delayed
The report cited delay on part the Government departments in preparing action plans as the reason for the poor performance of the SDP. Besides, there has been communication gap between officials at the State and the district level, the report stated.
CM irked by the lapses
Upset with the dismal performance in implementing the SDP, Yeddyurappa directed officers to submit a detailed report why the money had not been spent.
“I will hold another meeting next month end, and I want to see the progress in the SDP. Besides, I want to know the exact reason for not spending the money,” he stated.