Wayanad:
While the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment has noted gross underutilization at national level of the funds under Multi-sectoral Development Program (MsDP) for Minority Concentration Districts (MCDs) Kerala’s lone MCD Wayanad has stood out setting an example.
While the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment has noted gross underutilization at national level of the funds under Multi-sectoral Development Program (MsDP) for Minority Concentration Districts (MCDs) Kerala’s lone MCD Wayanad has stood out setting an example.
The parliamentary panel in its report submitted in Parliament on 9th May 2012 snubbed the nodal agency of MsDP, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, for slow pace of the projects as only 49% of the sanctioned funds (Rs. 1174.93 Crore out of Rs. 2359.39 Crore) have been utilized so far.
However, Wayanad district has registered about 100% utilization of the funds of MsDP and almost all projects approved have been completed or will be by June 2012.
Among the 90 MCDs, Wayanad is the lone MCD in Kerala receiving Central Minority Affairs Ministry’s funds under the MsDP. The fund utilisation was a meagre seven percentage in the state but now with the new Directorate of Minority Welfare Department [MWD], Kerala having taken up the charge under its new director Dr P Nazeer; a 100 percentage fund utilisation has been brought about by the end of March 2012.
A complete utilisation of the central funds has been carried out for building additional classrooms to schools, drinking water projects and for building sub centres for local govt hospitals. Kerala was earlier listed as one among those states turning out least effective in utilising the funds but now with the new minority welfare department being appointed by the state govt six months ago, they are setting an ideal example for the other states to follow.
The District collector’s office states that Rs 3.8 crore was granted under MSDP for building 38 additional class rooms in govt schools across the district, out of which 20 have been completed until now. The state govt has added Rs 43.29 lakh to the central fund, thus taking the sum up to Rs 4.23 crore. The construction works of the rest 18 additional classrooms are expected to be completed by around mid-June 2012.
Lab upgradation of the Meppadi Polytechnic is under progress. The MsDP fund of Rs 20 crore 58 lakh, 29000 has already been granted.
In the year 2010 the tentative allocation of funds under MsDP for the Meenangadi Polytechnic was only 15 crore rupees and so the lab upgradation project and Hostel project was not undertaken efficiently. So the district administration and MWD have made proposals before the central govt for building additional blocks and for the upgradation of work shop facilities at Meenangadi Polytechnic and ITI Kalpetta.
MsDP fund of Rs 1 crore 80 lakh was granted for building sub centres to 10 local govt hospitals out of which eight have been completed until now and are about to be inaugurated. The works of the rest two sub centres are expected to be completed by around June.
The drinking water project for Nadavazhal region has already been completed by making use of the allocated Rs 2 crore 50 lakh rupees and is ready for use. The work got finished soon because it was an already existing scheme and only a few more works were required for the completion of the project. The Mullankolli, Kuppadithara and Padinjarathara Panchayath water supply scheme will take time to complete because at first the treatment plants have to be set up and the works can only be completed stage wise. The Mullankolli Panchayath water supply scheme has been allocated with Rs 7 crore and the Kuppadithara, Padinjarathara schemes with 4 crore 30 lakh rupees each.
The district collector office told TCN that, in a meeting held at Delhi regarding MsDP, on 6th February 2012 it was found that 157 Crore rupees went unused because of the lack of fund utilisation in other states and as per suggestions, the MCDs were asked to submit proposals for utilising this fund.
The district authorities along with the Kerala MWD then submitted proposals for an education package for the all round development of govt schools. The 90 crore project proposal included laptops for secondary and higher secondary, govt school students [9th, 10th, 11th, 12th classes], smart classrooms and advanced computer lab facilities. Besides, it submitted proposals for upgrading health centres.
Apart from the MsDP fund utilisation in Wayanad district, the new MWD Directorate has planned to distribute free laptops to the children of Madrasa teachers by making use of the Madrasa Teachers welfare fund. Besides they have plans to distribute study table and chair to the minority BPL students and the distribution will be done through SIDCO [Small Industries Development Corporation]. The table and chair is expected to cost at around 5000 rupees per head.
