Parliamentary panel flags shortfall in fund utilisation by MOSPI, time lag in release of PFLS reports

A Parliamentary panel has flagged a 73.53 per cent shortfall in utilisation of budgeted allocation for capacity development of Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation for the current fiscal. It has also highlighted long time-lag in release of periodic labour force survey (PLFS) report and delay in unveiling the 7th Economic Census.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance in its report 44th report on Demand of Grand for 2022-23 tabled in Parliament on Tuesday noted that under the capacity development head there has been shortfall in fund utilisation by 440 crore in 2021-22 against the budget allocation of Rs 598.36 crore (73.53per cent shortfall).

The panel is of the view that 73.53 per cent shortfall in fund utilisation cannot be justified by COVID-19 pandemic alone.


It stated that non-achievement of projected milestone by vendors engaged in concerned projects cannot justify the huge variation between budget outlay and actual expenditure.

It believed that proper budgetary yardsticks has not been applied while formulating the budget proposal and capacity development head.

It urged the ministry to ensure that projects under capacity development are monitored closely and also the realistic yardsticks are applied when budgetary projection are made.

The panel also urged the ministry to narrow down the time lag PLFS report by scaling up the efforts and making use of advanced information technology.

It noted that the 7th Economic Census has taken more than three years to complete and this will make data on some items/samples irrelevant and outdated for stakeholders to be used as parameters.

"The Committee, therefore, expect the Ministry to release the economic census with any further delay lest the data becomes infructuous," it stated.

It also suggested the plug administrative delay gap for effective implementation of Member of Parliament Local Area Development scheme.