Andhra Pradesh: Officials told to spend SC sub-plan funds judiciously

Secretariat (Velagapudi): Minister for Social Welfare Merugu Nagarjuna suggested that SC Sub-Plan funds should be spend sincerely for the welfare and development of Scheduled Caste community.

Addressing the first meeting of the Nodal Agency intended to utilise the Sub-Plan funds, at the secretariat here on Wednesday, the Minister said that the allotted funds should be spend for that particular year only and couldn't use them in the subsequent year. He expressed dissatisfaction over the lapse of funds, which were not spent in departments like R&B, Horticulture and others. He sought explanation from the

officials for not spending the funds for the SC communities and advised the departments, which could not spend the funds, to utilise the same for developing basic infrastructure in SC constituencies.

Reviewing the working of the Fisheries department, Minister Nagarjuna said all the funds in Sub-Plan should be spent for the welfare of SC community. 'They could forward the proposals to the Nodal agency for approval in advance and get them approved. The officials may forward funds to other departments if they could not spend them in time,' he explained.

The Minister expressed ire over the attendance of DEE from Minor Irrigation department to the meeting. He said the officials, who could take decisions only, should attend the nodal agency meeting. He instructed the officials to renew the fishermen associations if they have SC members only among them.

Minister Nagarjuna reviewed the functioning of the departments of Panchayat Raj, Rural Development, Rural Water Supply, Municipal, R&B, Electricity, Agriculture, Horticulture, Sericulture, Cooperative, Animal Husbandry, Forest, Swatchandra and others.

Social welfare secretary MM Nayak, Director K Harshavardhan and officials of various departments also participated.