Need to scan central govt sponsored schemes

SIVAGANGA: Union finance minister P Chidambaram has stressed the need for monitoring the implementation of centrally-sponsored projects and schemes and also to create awareness about them among the people.

Presiding over a meeting of the Awareness and Monitoring Committee’ of centrally-sponsored projects here, he said the Centre was spending several crores of rupees for various projects in the states.

“It should be monitored how the money is spent, whether the benefits have reached the people and if the projects have been implemented properly.”

The finance minister reviewed implementation of 13 centrally-sponsored schemes, including the prime minister’s rural roads programme, employment guarantee programme, total sanitation programme, rural water supply programme and so on.

He said he had sanctioned Rs 206 lakh for implementation of various schemes under the MP Local Area Development (MPLAd) scheme in Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram and Pudukottai districts. A total of 38 works had been completed.