The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation’s expenditure in projects under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme has moved up only marginally in the past one year.
It reached 57.86% this Saturday, after hitting 50% last April. Though sanction has been accorded to all the projects, some of the bigger projects are behind schedule.
The Corporation has now spent ₹208.36 crore out of the ₹357.50 crore allocated for the project. Of the 270 works proposed under the project, 231 have been completed but many of these being smaller projects related to sewerage, water supply, and stormwater drainage, the expenditure made would be small. Technical as well as administrative sanction have been accorded to all the projects and tendering has also been completed. Work has been awarded for 266 projects.
First position
The capital city still maintains the first position in fund utilisation among the bigger urban local bodies. However, it is at the fifth position, when all the smaller local bodies are taken into consideration. The maximum expenditure is in water supply projects with 82.04% of funds spent and 41 out of a total of 45 projects being completed. In the sewerage and septage management projects, 84 of a total of 114 projects have been completed with an expenditure of 47.56%.
The city is lagging behind mainly in the projects related to urban transport, with 18.73% expenditure across the four projects under this head. Two projects have been completed, while two are remaining. In projects for creating green spaces and parks, the expenditure stands at 59.05%, while in stormwater drainage construction, the expenditure is 71.71%. Officials cite the delays due to COVID-19 and the local body and Assembly elections for the lag in some of the projects.
