Special Correspondent
Port Blair, July 25: In last 10 years the Andaman and Nicobar Administration has allotted nearly Rs. 340 crores for rural road construction and repair works but looking at the rural roads one can understand that since one decade neither any road has been repaired properly nor much of new roads have been constructed. Then where has this money gone? Who took away nearly Rs. 340 crores?
The answer is simple, although the money was released but the amount never reached to the grassroot level for road construction. And the culprit is no one except the system of fund distribution among three tiers of PRIs.
Sources in PRIs told Andaman Talk that the fund distribution system of Panchayati Raj Institute (PRI) has become a major obstacle for the development of these remote Islands. At present Panchayats get 70 percent of the total fund for various works like road construction and 15 percent each goes to Panchayat Samity and Zilla Parishad.
There are around 67 Panchayats, Seven Panchayat Samities and two Zilla Parishad and this amount of Rs. 340 crores was distributed among these three tiers of PRIs in last 10 years.
In each Panchayat there are around 10 members and if the 70 percent fund is divided among 67 panchayats and nearly 670 (67X10) Panchayat members in 10 years, every members will left with only few lacks. This is too less to take up a big projects like road construction. And for Samity and Zilla Parishad members there is hardly any fund left.
Showing this calculation to media persons recently the lone Member of Parliament, Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray urged the Administration to sit with all PRI members and sort out some plan so that new roads are constructed and old roads are repaired with the funds and results are visible infront of public.
He also urged the Administration to review the fund distribution system of PRIs, which is doing no good to the remote Islands.
“The priorities in these Islands are roads, culverts and bridges in remote villages, clean water and good health services. If some work is not in priority list please do not take up the work,” he said.
Hope the Administration will review the fund distribution system of PRI or will think of enhance the funds for PRIs.
