Utilise Plan funds on time: CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Thrissur:  Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has asked the Local Self-Government Institutions (LSGIs) to complete the use of plan funds on  time  and avoid spending the funds in  haste in the last three months of the financial year. Speaking at the  state-level inauguration of the second phase of People's Planning (‘Navakeralathinu Janakiyasuthranam’)  here  on Saturday, he said that at present 80 per cent of the plan funds was spent during the last three months of the fiscal. Most of the funds was  spent in the last month of March.

“This has to change. LSGIs have to start planning for the next fiscal from now on and by April we can start the projects.  The practice of finalising the plans  of the civic body by August and September should  end. They should be prepared by March and in the last three months, only 30 per cent of funds should remain to be utilised,” Mr Vijayan said. “All those who work for the  common good should participate in the people’s planning and citizens should do it at the local level,” he said.

“Every citizen can be a planner and the ultimate authority to decide  the final plan will be the civic body. But, they need to give due respect to the suggestions put forth by the citizens,” he  added. Minister for Local Self-Government K.T. Jaleel presided over the function.  Chief secretary S.M. Vijayanand,  ministers Thomas Isaac, A.C. Moideen, C. Raveendranath, V.S. Sunil Kumar and  E. Chandrasekharan,   MPs C.N. Jayadevan and  P.K. Biju and most of the LDF MLAs from Thrissur were present  at the function.