Fadnavis to hold review meeting of Finance & Planning Dept

Aurangabad: Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will take a review meeting of the Finance and Planning Department at the divisional commisisonerate on January 25.

The divisional commissioner, all the district collectors and the representatives will attend the meeting.

The provision of the annual plan is made for the new financial year taking into consideration district-wise usage of funds, outstanding funds and demands of public representatives.

It is speculated that there will be restrictions on financial planning due to the ongoing model code conduct for the Marathwada Teachers Constituency elections.

The decision about the planning will be taken after the discussions between the Government and the administration.

It may be noted Maha Vikas Aghadi Government was toppled in June 2022 while Shinde Government on July 4, 2022, had granted a stay on the district planning committee works until a guardian minister is appointed. Later, there were administrative restrictions on the approval of work for two and a half months.

The development works for which financial provision was made were stalled in Marathwada due to restrictions.

The works of planning committees began in October with the appointment of guardian ministers. The model code of conduct came into force by December end (2022). Now, the development works are pending for administrative approval because of this.

There are just two months left in the current

financial. The works will get approval but will commence late. Moreover, what Marathwada will get will not be made public as Devendra Fadnavis who is also Finance Minister is holding a meeting at a time when a model code of conduct is in force.

The annual fund plan for the year 2021-22 rose to Rs 2,605 crore from Rs 2,260 crore. A fund of Rs 345 crore was increased for the region. Aurangabad district received the highest fund of Rs 500 crore in the region. So far, only four per cent of fund was utilised in the region. The opposition parties' leaders alleged that the impact on the development works is due to changes in the Government.

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Restrictions on sharing information with media

The State Election Commission issued special guidelines for the meeting. Divisional commissioner Sunil Kendrekar said that the meeting would be hosted within the given framework. The information about the discussions and financial provisions will not be shared with mass media. Media persons cannot interact with Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis at the divisional commissioner's office on January 25.

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District-wise financial provision

The district financial provision up to March 31, 2023, and fund utilisation are as follows;

District-----------fund provision----------utilisation

Aurangabad---------Rs 500 crore--------Rs 35 crore

Jalna------------------Rs 282 crore--------Rs 08 crore

Parbhani-------------Rs 251 crore---------Rs 03 crore

Nanded---------------Rs 400 crore--------Rs 48 crore

Beed------------------Rs 370 crore---------Rs 22 crore

Latur------------------Rs 302 crore---------Rs 39 crore

Osmanabad----------Rs 300 crore----------Rs 11 crore

Hingoli---------------Rs 200 crore-----------Rs 02 crore

Total-------------------Rs 2,605 crore--------Rs 168 crore