Lok Sabha Question No. 2173 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-15
Subject: Under-Utilisation of Funds
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Dibyendu Adhikari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2173

TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.12.2023

## UNDER-UTILISATION OF FUNDS

2173. SHRI DIBYENDU ADHIKARI:

Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that during the years between 2016-17 and 2021-22, the actual  expenditure  by  the  Ministry  was  lower  than  the  demand  of  budget indicating either poor financial planning or gaps in planning, implementation and monitoring of schemes;
- (b) if so, the details of allocation and utilisation of funds since 2014 therein; and
- (c) the  corrective  action  taken  by  the  Government  for  such  under-utilisation  of funds?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) to (c) For better implementation and efficient monitoring, all schemes of the Ministry have been clubbed into three verticals, viz. (1) Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0  for improving  nutrition  indicators  in  the  country  (2)  Mission  Shakti,  for  safety, protection and empowerment of women; and (3) Mission Vatsalya, for protection and welfare of children.

All the schemes implemented by the Ministry are Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS)  and  are  implemented  by  the  States/Union  Territories  (UTs).  The  budget allocation for these schemes is finalised based on inputs received from the States/UTs regarding their requirements and the trend of expenditure over the previous years. Further, under CSS, States/UTs are required to contribute their corresponding share of funds, incur a minimum of 75% expenditure of total available funds and submit the Statement  of  Expenditure  (SoE)/  Utilization  Certificates  to  enable  the  Ministry  to release the central share of funds. Wherever the above conditions are not met, release of the central share gets affected/delayed resulting in unspent balance at the end of the financial year.

The implementation of schemes including utilization of funds is  reviewed on monthly basis at Secretary/ Additional Secretary/ Bureau Head levels through physical meetings/  video  conferences.  Hon'ble  Minister,  Women  and  Child  Development reviews  the  progress  of  schemes  with  States/UTs  once  every  quarter  apart  from regular field visits.

The  details  of  allocation  and  actual  expenditure  under  the  schemes  of  the Ministry since 2014 are annexed .

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Annexure Statement referred to in reply to Part (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.2173 to be answered on 15.12.2023 Details of allocation and actual expenditure under the schemes of the Ministry since 2014

(Rs. in crores)

| Financial Year   |   Revised Estimate |   Actual Expenditure |
|------------------|--------------------|----------------------|
| 2014-15          |            18588.4 |              18541.1 |
| 2015-16          |            17351.9 |              17260.3 |
| 2016-17          |            17640.3 |              16597.5 |
| 2017-18          |            21236.8 |              20020.5 |
| 2018-19          |            24758.6 |              22531.3 |
| 2019-20          |            26184.5 |              22679.9 |
| 2020-21          |            21008.3 |              18744.1 |
| 2021-22          |            23200   |              21283.6 |
| 2022-23          |            23912.7 |              23512.1 |