District Collector P.I. Sheikh Pareed criticised against local bodies, departments and institutions that failed to effectively utilise Rs. 5 crore allocated by the State government two years back for coastal development in the district.
The criticism came at a meeting held at the Collector's camp office to review the progress of execution of projects.
Funds were allocated to local bodies and departments concerned through the Fisheries Department for executing 56 projects spread over hospital, schools, anganwadis, and drinking water sectors in coastal areas. Of this only 16 remain completed.
Out of the Rs. 5 crore allocated, only Rs. 1.55 crore had been utilised so far. Some panchayats had not even taken preliminary steps towards utilising the remaining Rs. 3.45 crore two years into the allocation.
The Collector instructed to take back funds from the panchayats reluctant to execute the project and to give it to panchayats that had performed well.
Out of the allocation of Rs. 2.15 crore for the hospital sector, only Rs. 77 lakh had been utilised. Of the Rs. 16.63 lakh allocated for the development of the taluk hospital at Karuvelippady, Rs. 2.43 lakh remain to be utilised where as Rs. 24.68 lakh out of the Rs. 43.30 lakh allocated for the development of the hospital for women and children still remain unspent. The primary health centre at Ezhikkara was yet to use the Rs. 2.80 crore allocated to it.
Out of the allocation of Rs. 1.25 crore for improving facilities in schools, only Rs. 43 lakh had been utilised. There was near total lack of utilisation of funds allocated for anganwadis, with Chittattukara panchayat being the sole exception. The meeting noted that Kumbalanghi, Chellanam, Pallippuram, Vadakkekkara, Puthenvelikkara, and Ezhikkara panchayats had not at all utilised the funds for the improvement of anganwadis.
The Collector said that the failure on the part of the local bodies and officials concerned should be taken seriously. He said that funds would be diverted for other coastal development projects in the event of any further delay.
