U.P.: Notices to 101 Prayagraj schools over aid granted from MP/MLA fund
These schools have failed to submit utilisation certificates for the first instalment of money sanctioned to them from MP/MLA local area development fund
As many as 101 primary and secondary schools of Prayagraj district have been served notices by the project director (PD), district rural development agency (DRDA), for their failure to submit utilisation certificates for the first instalment of money sanctioned to them from MP/MLA local area development fund.
These schools had sought monetary help for repair/construction in their schools from MP/MLA fund and were given the first instalment. However, these institutions failed in not only submitting the mandatory utilisation certificates for the money given to them but also never applied for the second instalment, said officials.
“As per norms, a school is given the second instalment only when it submits the utilisation details and certificate for the use of funds given under first instalment. Now the official has given notice to these 101 schools to apply for the second instalment within 10 days after completing the due formalities failing which they will have to return the funds given to them as first instalment too,” they added.
“We have served notices to the management of these schools as they have not applied for the second instalment of the funds that were given to them under the MP/MLA fund. As they have not applied for the second instalment, there seems to be some foul play because of which we have served the notices”, said PD, DRDA, Ashok Kumar Maurya.
“We have asked them to apply for the release of the second instalment within 10 days and failure to do so will result in a refund of the amount of the first instalment,” he added.
From the financial year 2017-18 to the financial year 2020-21, in different years, a total of 101 schools had sought budget from the MP/MLA local area development funds for the repairs and construction in their respective institutions.
As per rules, 60% of the total budget of the repair/construction work was given to them. The second instalment is released after the fund of the first instalment is fully utilised. For this, the utilisation certificate of the funds given as first instalment has to be given.
Officials fear that the schools may have misappropriated the first instalment which is evident as they have not applied for the second instalment even after a delay of many months. Maurya said most of these schools are from rural areas of the district’s different development blocks located in trans-Yamuna and trans-Ganga regions.
Through MLA fund, one school was allotted the funds in 2017-18, 26 in 2018-19, 26 in 2019-20 and 29 in 2020-21 financial year. In the past, orders for recovery were issued against seven schools, which however now have been given one more chance.
Likewise, in respect to MP quota, 75% of the budget is given from the MP fund. In this, two schools were given funds in the financial year 2018-19, one in 2019-20 and six schools in the financial year 2020-21 among others.
