THE 5TH ESTATE (EB): No.04

This is an electronic newsletter on our Project titled “Promoting State Accountability and Citizen’s Empowerment through Budget Analysis (SAP)” which is being implemented in Rajasthan, a state in North-West India. The project primarily aims to analyse budgetary provisions and achievements of targets of programmes and schemes meant for target groups, viz. women, marginal farmers and landless labourers.

The title ‘The 5^th Estate’ has been derived from the definition of democracy, as it denotes the people on whom it’s other four pillars rest: the legislature, the judiciary, the executive and the media. It means, “The State derives its rights from the power of the people”.

The purpose of this bulletin is to provide regular update on the activities taken as part of the Project.

THE 5TH ESTATE (EB) ISSUES NO. 08

THE 5TH ESTATE (EB) ISSUES NO. 07

THE 5TH ESTATE (EB) ISSUES NO. 06

THE 5TH ESTATE (EB) ISSUES NO. 05

THE 5TH ESTATE (EB) ISSUES NO. 04

THE 5TH ESTATE (EB) ISSUES NO. 03

THE 5TH ESTATE (EB) ISSUES NO. 02

THE 5TH ESTATE (EB) ISSUES NO. 01

CONTENT:

Media Highlights;

Analysis of Schemes-

Family Welfare Programme

Elementary Education Scheme 

Forestry Development Project

From the Media:

The State Governor stressed the need to make the mother and child health programmes successful. Expressing concern over the increasing mother and infant mortality rate, the Governor said that it is an indicator of slow implementation of maternity and child health programmes.   

(Rajasthan Patrika.19.08.01)

When infant mortality rates have shown stagnation, the government is slipping on immunisation against all vaccine-preventable diseases. Immunisation levels are 17.3 percent in Rajasthan as against 21.2 and 22.4 percent in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh respectively.      

 (Times of India. 26.08.01)

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, accepted that forestation programmes are implemented by many departments and despite expenditure of resources, they have not been successful. He was speaking at the Jaloi village near Jaipur, on the 52^nd state level Van Mahotsav (Forest festival).     

(Dainik Bhaskar, 02.08.01)

Chiranjilal Badaya, vice-president of 20-point programme committee, claimed that sterlisation camps are not organised, fake records are maintained, at a Review Meeting of 20-point programmes held at Govindgarh Panchayat Samiti. 

This revelation was proved at the said meeting, when the District Chief Medical Officer, Jaipur District, did not have the statistics of the number of sterilisations done in the month of June 2001. He however informed the Planning Minister, Shri. Deependra Skehkawat who too was present  that a total of 425 sterlisations were done till the month of June, in Govindgah Panchayat Samiti. This raised the question as to how the figure of 425 sterilisations was arrived at?  On further questioning, it was disclosed on a confidential basis, that only 343 sterilisations were actually done during the period, while the figure on paper was 425. 

(Rajasthan Patrika, 06.08.01)

BACK

C.A.G. analysis of Schemes (1999-2000)

Family Welfare Programme

• Family Welfare Programme (Centrally Sponsored Scheme) aims to stabilise the population at a level consistent with the needs of national development through the schemes of family welfare launched from time to time.

• State Government failed in achieving demographic goals regarding Infant Mortality Rate, Couple Protection Rate, Maternal Mortality Rate and Annual Natural Growth Rate as well as targets/ expected levels of achievements.

• Targets of ‘Sterilisation’ and ‘Intra Uterine Device (IUD)’ were only partially achieved.  The actual achievement was around 49-62 percent during 1997-2000 and 26-44 percent during 1995-2000 respectively at State level.

• There was a shortage of 76 Community Health Centres in the State. Grant of Rs.6.75 lakh received under ‘Sterilisation Bed Scheme’ was not utilised for the purpose and was diverted to other schemes.

• There was an excess expenditure ranging between 22 and 106 percent of grants received from the Government of India under ‘All India Hospitals Post Partum Programme’ during 1995-2000.

• Out of the grants of Rs.15.30 crore received during 1997-2000 under ‘Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Programme’, Rs.1.86 crore only were spent. The remaining amount of Rs.13.44 crore was either retained by the State Government or transferred to PD accounts.

• Advance payment of Rs.31.50 lakh was made (March 1999) to Rajasthan Handloom Development Corporation for supply of cotton bandage but the material supplied was defective. Though the supply orders had been cancelled but the amount was not got refunded as of June 2000.

• Grant amounting to Rs.26.94 lakh received (1994-95) for payment to village health guides was not utilised and it remained lying in the PD account.

• A number of buildings of Social Safety Net Scheme were not completed as of June 2000. Further, 405 buildings though completed were not handed over by PWD to the department, which resulted in blocking of Rs.6.72 crore.

• Out of 123 tubewells sanctioned under Social Safety Net Scheme at a cost of Rs.66.80 lakh, only 82 tubewells were installed. Of these, only 31 tubewells were made operational.

• Out of Rs.9.11 crore allotted under Phase I and II, Rs.7.59 crore were utilised as of March 2000, leaving unspent balance of Rs.1.52 crore. Of this, Rs.144.15 lakh were deposited in non-interest bearing PD account (March 1995) instead of refunding unutilised amount to Government of India.

• Grants amounting to Rs.17.10 crore, received during 1994-96 under phase III and IV Social Safety Net Scheme, remained unutlised and were lying in PD account as of June 2000.

• Despite Rs.1.11 crore spent on running and maintenance of an off set printing press, the printing work amounting to Rs.1.09 crore was got done from the open market by inviting tenders during the period 1995-2000.

• As per survey conducted, Antenatal care services were received by 69 percent of pregnant women. The percentage was higher in urban areas (81 percent) than the rural areas (66 percent).

 BACK

Elementary Education Scheme

• The enrolment of boys and girls declined by 13 and 8 percent respectively in 1998-99 in schools under elementary education in comparison to 1997-98. There were wide variations between figures of enrolment in departmental publication and those as per records of District Education Officers.

• Percentage of retention of enrolled students ranged from 75 to 87 in upper primary classes and 40 to 45 in primary classes, which disclosed a high percentage of drop out during 1995-99.  

• Percentage of children enrolled in class-V out of total students enrolled in class I was 37 to 45 only during 1994-99 at the State level while it was 13 to 52 only during 1999-2000 in few districts.  

• Grants of Rs.13.02 crore, received from the Government of India during 1993-98 in Operation Black Board Scheme, were transferred to PD accounts. Of these, Rs.8.61 crore only were spent. Moreover, Rs.1.95 crore though shown spent were lying unutilised with Zila Parishads (District Committees) in 7 districts.  

• Despite abolition of 24 posts in May 1996, six posts were still continuing in State Institute of Educational Research and Training (SIERT) resulting in an avoidable expenditure of Rs.20.78 lakh.  

• A study of Mid Day Meal Scheme found that there was short lifting of foodgrains ranging between 11 and 64 percent. 235 metric ton wheat valuing Rs.10.57 lakh was distributed irregularly to students of private and unaided schools. Cooked meal was never served, which is a gross deviation from guidelines.

• A study of Saraswati Bahen Yojana, an educational scheme, only 550 Saraswati Shalas (schools) were working against the sanction number of 1770 shalas. Rs.10.78 lakh were illegally spent on training of Saraswati Bahens (teaching volunteers).  

• Rs.53.38 lakh remained unutilised in absence of guidelines and teaching-learning material in Area Intensive Programme for educationally backward minorities.

• 1382 teachers were deployed in excess in schools in urban areas resulting in nugatory expenditure of Rs.10.40 crore in one year and adverse effect on schools of rural areas.

• Grant of Rs.20.14 lakh was paid to a grantee institution irregularly in absence of managing committee and grant of Rs.15.86 lakh was paid to a school without obtaining essential certificate of maintenance of its building.

BACK

Forestry Development Project

• Expenditure of Rs.20.10 lakh toward payment of electricity bills, repair and maintenance of vehicles, office expenses, etc. was incurred out of funds meant for plantation and their maintenance.

• Rs.86.39 lakh were spent on activities other than plantation. Similarly, expenditure of Rs.26.44 lakh was incurred on activities not related to research works as envisaged in the project.

• In the 31 sites where plantation was made at a cost of Rs.1.01 crore, survival rate was below 40 percent.

• Expenditure of Rs.15.99 lakh became infructuous as only work of fencing and digging of trenches was done, but no plantation work could be undertaken due to unsuitability of sites.

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CUTS Centre for Consumer Action, Research & Training (CUTS-CART)