COVID-19: Maharashtra to spend unutilised Rs 887 crore on health infrastructure

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. File pic

The Maharashtra government will spend Rs 887 crore of the unutilised COVID-19 mitigation fund on health infrastructure, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar said on Monday.

Speaking to reporters, he also said the government will start allotting additional fund of Rs 50 crore from the year 2022-23 to the districts doing outstanding work in the implementation of the ''District Annual Scheme'' (DAS) in 2021.

"The COVID-19 funds were allotted to all districts in Maharashtra for the purpose of the pandemic mitigation. Out of these funds, around Rs 887 crore remained unspent as some districts incurred less expenditure while some demanded less funds than the approved funds. We have decided to spend this amount for health infrastructure in the state," he said after attending a District Planning Committee (DPC) meeting of the Nagpur division.

Speaking on the additional allotment under the DAS, Pawar said a district will be selected for the additional grant of Rs 50 crore on parameters like holding DPC meetings on time; the quantum of unspent funds; timely administrative approval etc.

He said funds of Rs 270 crore and Rs 150 crore were allotted for districts of Gadchiroli and Bhandara, respectively, and Rs 165 crore as the general fund the for DPC scheme 2021-22.

The DPC funds for Nagpur, Wardha and Chandrapur will be decided later, he added.

Responding to a query on extending the tenure of the Vidarbha Statutory Development Board (VSDB), Pawar said the state government wanted so.

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