GUWAHATI: The Assam government has failed to effectively utilise funds allocated for Solid Waste Management (SWM) under the 15th Finance Commission (FC) and Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U)
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The data was presented in a recent audit conducted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) for the period between 2018 to 2022.
The report has highlighted that a total of ₹350.76 crore was allocated for SWM activities in Assam’s urban local bodies (ULBs), but only ₹241.18 crore was released to the ULBs, and ₹62.46 crore was utilised at the directorate level. An unutilised balance of ₹47.12 crore remained as of March 31, 2022.
Additionally, under the Fifth and Sixth Assam State Finance Commission (ASFC), ₹217.76 crore was recommended for SWM, but only ₹59.60 crore was allocated in the state budget. Despite this, no funds were released to the ULBs by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) during the audit period.
The audit also found that ₹40 crore out of the unutilised ₹47.12 crore was earmarked for procurement of vehicles, equipment, and machinery. However, despite the procurement being sanctioned in July 2020, the process remained incomplete until August 2022, delaying SWM activities in the state.
The Assam government, in its response in October 2023, admitted that due to delays in the tendering process, the sanctioned funds could not be utilised on time.
