Numbers mislead as real spending falls short of budget allocations

 State was one among few states in the country to present a whopping Rs 1.61 lakh crore budget. But, the moot question is how far our governments are realistic in spending the amounts?. When one go through the actual amounts earmarked and actual spending in successive years, the spending was much below for key sectors.
  Take for example, Irrigation sector, the State government's prestigious programme. The State government provided Rs 15,013 crore in the 2012-13 budget for Jalayagnam, a massive irrigation programme. But, it was able to spend around Rs 7,000 crore up to January, 2012. Thus, the government earmarked Rs 13,804 crore for irrigation in 2013-14 budget estimates. It was a decrease of Rs 1,209 crore this year.
However, Finance Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy defended himself for the decrease of amount to irrigation. "We are expecting that Pranahita-Chevella and Polavaram will be accorded national project status. Thus, the decrease of funds for irrigation sector," he explained.
  Same was the case with minor irrigation. The expenditure in 201-12 budget under minor irrigation ws Rs 49.05 crore, the budget estimate for 2012-13 was Rs 63.56 crore. The revised estimate was Rs 59.51 crore and the budget estimate for 2013-14 was Rs 117.25 crore.
 Providing infrastructure was another key area, where the actual spending was less. The plan budget of Roads, Buildings and Ports was Rs 1,26 crore in 2011-12. But, the budget estimate for 2012-13 was Rs 3,306 crore. The revised estimate for the same year was Rs 3,057 crore. Now, the budget estimate for 2013-14 was Rs 3,657 crore.
 In some other key sectors, the estimates and revised estimates were same even though the amounts were not fully spent in the year.
 As far as Energy department is concerned the State government spent more than the earmarked amount in view of the precarious power generation position. The estimates too were increased this year in view of the subsidies farmers and other issues.


The estimates of some key departments (plan expenditure)
GRAPH:

Tribal welfare Department: 
The accounts for 2011-12  Rs 668 crore
The Budget estimate for 2012-13 - Rs 1,023 crore
The revised estimate for 2012-13 - Rs 997 crore
The estimate for 2013-14


Agriculture : 

2012-13 budget estimates - Rs 2,207 crore
Revised estimates for 2012-13 - Rs 2,207 crore
Budget estimates for 2013-14  - Rs 2,494 crore

HIGHER EDUCATION :

Accounts for 2011-12 - Rs 574 crore
Estimates for 2012-13 - Rs 218 crore
Revised estimates for 2012-13 - Rs 167 crore
The estimates for 2013-14  - Rs 198 crore

SCHOOL EDUCATION:

Accounts for 2011-12 Rs 2,595 crore
Estimates for 2012-13 - Rs 3,844 crore
Revised estimates 2012-13 - Rs 2,924 crore
Estimates for 2013-14 - Rs 3,904 crore

TECHNICAL EDUCATION:

Accounts for 2011-12 - Rs 454 crore
Estimates for 2012-13 - Rs 738 crore
Revised estimates for 2012-13 - Rs 638
Estimates for 2013-14 - Rs 872 crore

MEDICAL AND HEALTH:

Accounts for 2011-12   - Rs 1,985 crore
Estimates for 2012-13  - Rs 2,364 crore
Revised estimates for 2012-13  - Rs 2,364 crore
Budget estimates for 2013-14  - Rs 2,580 crore


ENERGY:
Accounts for 2011-12 Rs 1,498 crore
Esitmates for 2012-13 Rs 3,893 crore
Revised estimates for 2012-13  - Rs 3,893 crore
The estimates for 2013-14 - Rs 5,749 crore


ends