Tribal Affairs Dept fails to spend funds

JAMMU: Despite the liberal attitude central government adopted in providing funds for the tribal welfare schemes, the state Tribal Affairs Department (TAB) has been failed to utilize the funds allocated for the upliftment of tribal population across Jammu and Kashmir.
The department has failed to spend Rs.104 crore revalidated for the year 2019-20 under Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS). Moreover, the department has been also failed to spend funds under State Capex Budget 2018-19.
Under the capex budget the department envisages land acquisition and construction of hostels in Udhampur, Kathua and Kalakote, up-gradation of VTC at Kangan, development of Cluster Tribal Model Villages and Milk villages in the State.
In this regard, Advisor to the Governor, Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, reviewed the functioning of the Tribal Affairs Department.
Ganai, who is Advisor in-charge Tribal Affairs, said “The Central Government has been extremely liberal in providing funds and we need to match that by improving our spending ability.” He exhorted the department to work in mission mode so that approved funding under Special Central Assistance (SCA) to TSS, Article 275(1) and pre and post-matric scholarship to ST students is expended in full.
Terming the performance under State Capex Budget 2018-19 as equally unsatisfactory, the Advisor said he will closely monitor head-wise spending so that expenditure under proposed outlay of Rs.6.54 crore is booked in full.
Tribal population constitutes nearly 12 per cent of the total population in the State. The holistic development of the State would be difficult if the Tribal population continues to lag behind in key indicators.
He added the schemes envisaged for development of tribal population will show discernible change on ground so that they get access to key services like education, health, roads, jobs, agriculture and allied sectors.
Urging for a big push to achieve earmarked targets under various schemes, Ganai observed that enhanced spending in core sectors like education, health, dairying, sheep husbandry and animal husbandry, skill development and traditional sectors like agriculture and horticulture will provide a much needed level playing field to the tribal people and immensely benefit in scaling up their standard of living.

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