The state Education Department has failed to utilise Rs 129.80 crore under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) which was 37 per cent of the sanctioned amount of Rs 348 crore during 2010-15.Against the approved outlay of Rs 444.42 crore for 2010-15, the total availability of fund was Rs 348 crore of which Rs 218.67 crore was utilised and out of Rs 141.92 crore advanced to executing agencies, only Rs 19.76 crore was adjusted and remaining Rs 122.16 crore was lying unadjusted and short utilisation of funds ranged between 53 per cent and 79 per cent during this period, as per the report of the Comptroller and auditor General (CAG) for the year ending March 2015.The CAG pointed out that 1,566 (66 per cent), 2,196 (92 per cent) and 1,617 (68 per cent) schools did not have science laboratory, art/craft/ culture room and library.The report said funds amounting to Rs 26.39 crore were not released by the Centre due to non-completion of the ongoing works. The work of 51 new school buildings out of 163, approved by the Project Approval Board (PAB), could not be assigned to the executing agencies due to the involvement of forest land.A sum of Rs 40.44 crore was spent on the construction of 112 school buildings and construction of 64 schools was completed while 33 school buildings was lying incomplete as on July 2015 while work on 15 buildings did not commence.The CAG pointed out that the PAB had approved the construction of science lab, computer room, art/craft and cultural room, library, additional classroom and child with special need friendly toilets in 848 schools for completion within one year but out of 848 schools, construction work of rooms in only 93 schools had been completed.Out of Rs 193.64 crore sanctioned, Rs 126.83 crore was released for the remaining 755 works but 487 (65 per cent) works remained incomplete.The Centre sanctioned (2009-10) model schools in the educationally backward blocks and construction of five such schools was approved (March 2010) for Chamba and Sirmaur districts at Rs 3.02 crore per school required to be constructed on at least five acres of land.However, the construction of three out of five schools was not taken up till June 2015 by HIMUDA due to failure of the department to provide Rs 91.89 crore and 237 works (31 per cent) sanctioned for Rs 74.83 crore had not been taken up for execution as on July 2015 due to non-transfer of land in the name of the Education Department.
[“source-Tribuneindia”]
