The Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) in it's report for the year ended March 2021 has rapped the Maharashtra Government for its dismal performance in the implementation of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA). It's aim was to provide strategic funding to eligible State higher education institutions for reforming the higher education system as well as to improve the quality of State universities and colleges.
''One of the prerequisites for being eligible for funding under RUSA was allocation of two per cent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) towards higher education by the end of the Twelfth Plan period. The state government, while participating in RUSA, agreed (October 2013) to allocate two per cent of GSDP towards expenditure on higher education. Further, GoM in its Memorandum of Understanding of May 2018 with MHRD/National Mission, RUSA assured to allocate two per cent of State GSDP towards higher education by the end of March 2020. Audit, however, observed that the actual spending on higher education during 2020-21 was only 0.31 per cent of the GSDP in the State,'' said CAG in its report which was on Friday tabled by the minister of state for finance in the state assembly.
Further, the Audit observed that instead of an increase in expenditure on higher education, the expenditure, on the contrary, showed a declining trend. ''It can be seen that though nominal GSDP increased by 34 percent during 2015-21, the expenditure on higher and technical education during the same period increased by only 12 per cent. Government did not assign any reason for the declining percentage of expenditure on higher education but stated (December 2021) that the State would endeavour to spend a higher percentage on Higher Education,'' it said.
Delay in release of grants
Funds received from GoI, were to be released by the State Government along with the State share to State Project Directorate (SPD) within 15 days of receipt of central funds. The funds received by SPD was, in turn, to be released to the educational institutions within 15 days of receipt of funds from the State Government. ''Audit noticed that out of Rs 376.97 crore (central and state funds) disbursed by the State Government to SPD, there was delay in disbursement of Rs 365.47 crore (97 per cent). Further, out of Rs 376.97 crore received by SPD, there was delay in disbursement of Rs 245.56 crore (56 per cent) to the participating higher educational institutions. The details of delay in release of funds to SPD and participating educational institutions,'' noted CAG.
Government attributed (December 2021) the delay in release of funds to late receipt of funds in the Budget Distribution System, DPR clarifications and late release of funds due to COVID-19. ''Reply is not acceptable as the release of funds in the Budget Distribution System is the responsibility of the Government while the delay attributed to DPR clarification only indicated lack of detailed scrutiny of DPR before approval. Further, the delay on account of COVID 19 was restricted to only Rs 6.75 crore (received in March 2020) out of Rs 87.70 crore received from GoI during 2019-20.
