State Government to spent Rs. 120 crore from its own exchequer on National Highways

Bhopal: Besides funds sanctioned from the Union Government, the State Government has spent Rs. 120 from State Head on maintenance and repair of National Highways in Madhya Pradesh. A number of works are withheld since sanction is pending with the Union Government.
It is noteworthy that length of National Highways in the state is 4,709 kilometres. On December 16, 2009, the Union Government took away maintenance and reconstruction work of National Highways measuring 3,828 kilometres from National Highway Wing of Public Works Department and handed it over to National Highway Authority of India. The Authority has not done this work properly. On State Government’s insistence, maintenance work of 1,460 kilometre long roads was handed over again to the State Government till April 30, 2012.
Thus, National Highway Wing has the work of maintaining total 2,341 kilometre long National Highways. The 1,460 kilometre long roads which have been handed over to the state for maintenance after a gap of two and a half years were in very bad shape. Traffic remained disrupted for a long time on these roads in the monsoon season in year 2011.
The funds provided by the Union Government for maintenance of Nation Highways are provisioned in its own budget. The state received funds for only for general maintenance and repair of flood-affected roads. Regional Account Officer of the Union Government makes direct payments under all the remaining heads.
There is provision of Rs. 194 crore 63 lakh for maintenance of National Highways of Madhya Pradesh’s share. Of this, Rs. 17 crore 6 lakh are for maintenance. Proposals worth Rs. 194 crore are pending with the Union Government. Till April 1 this year, there was sanction of only Rs. 32 crore. Funds to the tune of Rs. 139 crore were received in November 2012. Of the sanction of Rs. 32 crore, a sum of Rs. 12 crore has been spent. There are total 8 works of which 5 are withheld since sanction has not been received from the Union Government.
There was adequate sanction last year. The State Government spent more than sanctioned amount. The sanction last year was to the tune of Rs. 73 crore in plan head against which the State Government spent Rs. 76.14 crore. Similarly, the State Government spent Rs. 57 crore against sanction of Rs. 35 crore under non-plan head.
Central Road Fund
Allocation is received by the State Government under Central Road Fund. During year 2011-12, Madhya Pradesh was entitled to receive Rs. 169 crore 93 lakh whereas the State Government spent Rs. 301 crore under this head. Similarly, the state received allocation worth Rs. 179 crore 55 during current fiscal. Of this, Rs. 161 crore has been spent so far. A sum of Rs. 300 is estimated to be spent during the current fiscal.
Thus, it is clear that out of Rs. 194 crore 63 lakh allocation, the State Government is provided Rs. 17 crore 6 lakh for non-plan works. Remaining amount of Rs. 177 crore 57 lakh is paid by Regional Accounts Officer of the Union Government against works sanctioned by the Central Government. For utilisation of allocation under these heads, sanctions worth about two and half times are required.
Sanction under these heads for current fiscal is only Rs. 32 crore. Sanction worth Rs. 139 crore has been received recently during November. Proposals worth Rs. 194 crore for sanction/revised sanction are pending with the Union Government. In view of poor condition of National Highways, the State Government also spent Rs. 120 crore from its own exchequer on these works in addition to the funds sanctioned by the Union Government. Of this, Rs. 40 crore was spent last year and Rs. 80 crore this year. This expenditure was necessitated since the Union Government did not give two and a half times more sanctions against allocation. Even now, work orders have not been issued despite fixation of construction agency since proposals for revised sanction are pending for last five months.