MDS major beneficiary of SPA

IMPHAL, June 20: The Manipur Development Society (MDS), a work agency headed by the Chief Secretary has become the major beneficiary of the Special Plan Assistance (SPA).

MDS was in the news recently as a powerful bomb was blasted at the Mantripukhri residence of its Managing Director Y Ningthem Singh.

Out of the total Rs 450 crores allocation in SPA, the work agency MDS was allocated Rs 145 crores for ongoing and new projects as against the allocation of Rs 126.43 only for the Works department.

It may be recalled here that the sectoral allocation for the state plan for the financial year 2012-13 was approved by the state cabinet recently.

The Planning Commission had approved a Plan size of Rs 3500 crores for 2012-13 as against Rs 3210 crores in the last financial year.

According to documents available with IFP, the Works department was allocated Rs 529.44 crores in the last financial year while that of MDS was Rs 107.88 crores.

The health sector has been given an allocation of Rs 120 crores for infrastructure development of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, while Rs 15 crores has been provided for Tribal Development and Hills for construction of barrack type quarters for primary teachers under ADC and Rs 13.22 crores for the Sericulture project.

It may be mentioned here that about Rs 500 crores had been deducted at source to meet overdraft expenditure from the total plan allocation of Rs 3500 crores.

In the normal plan allocation, Irrigation & Flood Control (IFCD) is the major beneficiary with a total allocation of Rs 775 crores out of which Rs 105 crores is for Minor Irrigation charged with the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.

The plan allocations of Agriculture & Allied Services, Rural Development, Energy and Roads & Bridges are Rs 164.66 crores, Rs 204.84 crores, Rs 125 crores and Rs 61.56 crores respectively.

In the social services sector the total allocation is Rs 831 crores out of which Education has been provided only Rs 96.47 crores while Health, Water Supply and MAHUD has been provided Rs 136 crores, Rs 185 crores and Rs 187 crores respectively.

It may be mentioned here that the Chief Minister also holds the crucial portfolio of MAHUD.

Manipur Development Society (MDS) has also been provided Rs 25 crores in the normal plan allocation, as it is a grant-in-aid body of the state government.

According to government documents, most of the plan departments will face cuts from both the approved outlay of 2011-12 and 2012-13 to the extent of Rs 758 crores unless sizeable amount of fund under SCA is allowed to be provided for meeting state matching share of CSS and flagship programmes.