GUWAHATI: No Zilla Parishad (ZP) in Assam had its annual budget approved between 2018 and 2023, despite regular fund releases and utilisation, violating the mandatory rule for budget approval before expenditure.
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This was stated in a report presented by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in the assembly on Tuesday, March 25.
The report on local bodies for the period 2021-22 to 2022-23 highlighted that only 7 to 50 per cent of ZPs submitted their budgets to the Commissionerate of Panchayat and Rural Development (P&RD) during 2018-23. However, none of these were approved due to non-compliance with prescribed procedures.
Despite the lack of approval, funds continued to be released and utilised by Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), indicating a lack of financial discipline in the PRI system, the report noted.
The CAG further pointed out that the devolution of funds, functions, and functionaries to PRIs in Assam remained incomplete. While activity mapping was conducted for 23 out of 29 subjects, only seven subjects were officially devolved, and no function was transferred to PRIs as of October 2023.
As of March 2023, 456 utilisation certificates (UCs) amounting to ₹3,971.52 crore were outstanding for grants released between 2001-02 and 2021-22 to the P&RD Department. In the absence of UCs, it could not be verified whether these funds were used for their intended purpose, the report stated.
The report also mentioned that 1,684 audit paragraphs from 2018-23, involving ₹1,660.80 crore, remained unresolved due to a lack of responses or compliance.