Accounts of Rs. 17,194.61 crore absent in Assam govt.

Various departments of the Assam government are yet to submit reports of expenditure of around Rs. 17,194.61 crore to the Finance Department for two financial years: 2016-17 and 2017-18. Though CM Sarbananda Sonowal and his ministers have been continuously making tall claims of development in the State, the Government of Assam has failed to utilise the proper fund for the development of the State as various departments of the government do not have actual accounts of their expenditures.

According to sources, 24 departments of the Assam government had not submitted the reports of expenditures of Rs. 3,872.77 crore for the financial year 2016-17 as well as 46 departments of the government had not submitted the reports of expenditures of Rs. 13,378.84 crore for the financial year 2017-18 till August.

Reportedly,Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on August 13 called a review meetingwith the head of various departments and asked them to submit the reports ofexpenditures for the two financial years with immediate effect. Later thedepartments have submitted the reports of only Rs. 57 crore for the financialyear 2016-17.

Following the development, Additional Chief Secretary of Finance Department, Rajiv Kumar Bora on September 25, asked the 24 departments to submit the reports of expenditures of Rs. 3,815.77 crore for the financial year 2016-17 within September 30 and directed the 46 departments to submit the reports of expenditures of Rs. 13,378.84 crore for the financial year 2017-18 within December 31.

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The 24 departments that still have to submit the reports of expenditure for the financial year 2016-17 included – Agriculture department, Cultural affairs department, Education department, Finance department, Fishery Department, Food and Civil Supply Department, Guwahati Development Department, PHE department, Revenue department, Science and Technology department, Secretariat Administration Department, Social Welfare department, Tourism department, Urban Development Department, Water Resource department, Health department, and others.

The whole incident indicated that though Ministers and MLAs of Sarbananda Sonowal-led BJP government in the State are claiming that Assam has been developing rapidly; there has been poor financial management going on in the State.