Shillong, May 2: An amount Rs 58.75 crore for 15 schemes has been released directly to the state implementing agencies (SIAs) without routing through the budget of the state government during 2016-17.

This was revealed in the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) for the year ended 31st March, 2017.

The report pointed out that as per the Government of India decision, all assistance to centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) and additional central assistance (ACA) under various schemes would be released directly to the state government and not to the SIAs, and such funds would be routed through the state budget from the year 2015-16 onwards.

“But as per records of the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) portal of the Controller General of Accounts, it was seen that an approximate amount of Rs 58.75 crore under 15 schemes was released directly to the SIAs during 2016-17,” the report stated.

While Rs 17.01 crore was transferred directly to the Meghalaya State Council for Training in Vocational Trades for implementing the Pradhan Mantri Koushal Vikas Yojana, Rs 17.23 crore to the North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Society for scheme under North Eastern Council, and Rs 8.34 crore to the Meghalaya Non-Conventional Rural Energy Development Agency for off-grid distributed and decentralised renewable power.

The CAG further stated with the release of these funds directly to the implementing agencies in the state, the resource of the state during the year 2016-17 stood at Rs 14,863.70 crore (including the net receipts of Rs 14,804.95 crore) as on March 31, last year.