Chief Secretary S.P. Singh has directed the officials of different departments to focus on sanitation, solid waste management and other basic amenities while spending the amounts granted by the 14th Finance Commission to village panchayats.
The Chief Secretary wanted the officials concerned to prepare guidelines for utilisation of the 14th Finance Commission funds and ensure that a portion of the allocations are set aside for important public works. Efforts should be made to give priority to works under Harita Haaram and solar lighting in villages.
Mr. Singh held a review meeting with senior officials on the utilisation of the 14th Finance Commission funds at Secretariat on Thursday. He wanted the officials concerned to take up development works in villages in line with the directions given by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
Officials informed the Chief Secretary that ₹ 1,441 crore out of the ₹ 1,951 crore allocated to the State in 2015-16 had been spent so far. The State was likely to get ₹ 5,375 crore as grants under the 14th Finance Commission for the five year period. The Chief Secretary wanted the officials to concentrate on obtaining the utilisation certificates of the funds spent and ensure that collection of taxes was in line with the targets fixed.
