Third wave applies brakes on local bodies’ projects

Civic bodies struggle to utilise annual Plan funds ahead of fiscal year end

The third wave of COVID-19 that has hit the State hard has left an impact on the annual Plan fund utilisation of civic bodies. With two months left for the completion of the fiscal, civic bodies across the State are struggling to utilise the annual Plan funds allotted by the State government. Local bodies that which fail to achieve a minimum level of spending risk losing the unspent amount from the Plan fund allocation to be made next year.

Even the Kochi Corporation, which tops the list of the six Corporations in the State, could utilise only ₹42.61 crore till date, which accounts for 32.83% of the ₹129.79 crore allotted by the State government for the 2021-2022 fiscal. Among Corporations, the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram utilised the least, spending only 19.43% of its Plan fund of ₹251.71 crore. As per Local Self-government Department figures, the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation could utilise only ₹48.90 crore till date.