Odisha asks Centre to enhance PMGSY allocation to Rs 1800 cr

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today asked the Centre to release Rs 1800 crore under the Prime Minister Gramin Sadak Yojana for the financial year 2014-15.

"I would request you to consider allocation of Rs 1800 crore for the financial year 2014-15 and release of balance funds at the earliest for smooth implementation of PMGSY programme in the state of Odisha," Patnaik wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Stating that the Centre has indicated a figure of Rs 1178 crore as allocation of funds under the PMGSY for the state of which Rs 1051.50 crore only has been released so far, Patnaik said an amount of Rs 1615 crore was spent in the state under the same programme during 2013-14.

The Ministry of Rural Development has sanctioned an amount of Rs 17,814.24 crore since inception of the programe, Patnaik pointed out in the letter adding that out of the sanctioned amount Rs 11942.83 crore has been released and fully spent. This leaves a balance sanction of Rs 5871.41 crore. Therefore, the allocation of Rs 1178 crore made during this current fiscal will not be sufficient and needs to be enhanced to at least Rs 1800 crore.

We have already spent Rs 800 crore out of the released amount," Patnaik said in the letter.

Patnaik's letter to the Prime Minister came when the ruling BJD MLAs have been agitating in the Assembly accusing NDA government of not giving adequate assistance to the state in view of the 2014 cyclone Hudhud.