Ranchi: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has pulled up the Jharkhand government for failing to submit utilisation certificates (UCs) for central assistance amounting to ₹1.33 lakh crore within the stipulated time frame. The report also noted that the state has yet to provide detailed expenditure accounts for ₹4,891.72 crore withdrawn in advance from the treasury.
Three CAG reports were tabled in the Jharkhand Assembly during the monsoon session, including one on the state’s finances for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024. The audit pointed out that Jharkhand was required to furnish 47,367 UCs for various grants but missed the deadlines.
The report also highlighted a sharp fall in central grants to the state over the past four years. In 2019-20, central assistance accounted for 21.06% of Jharkhand’s total receipts, but this dropped to just 10.40% in 2023-24. In the same year, the state received only ₹6,266.71 crore under centrally sponsored schemes.
The CAG further noted that while the treasury system permits advance withdrawals to meet urgent requirements, governments must submit detailed expenditure accounts within two months. Jharkhand, however, has not yet furnished details for advance withdrawals of ₹4,891.72 crore.
Despite these shortcomings, the state’s economy showed some positive trends. Jharkhand’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) registered a growth of 10.46% in 2023-24 compared to 2022-23. Total revenue rose by 9.57%, with own-source revenue increasing by 11.49%. Expenditure, however, rose sharply by 19.58%, including a 14.99% jump in revenue expenditure.
The fiscal deficit position has improved, falling from 2.59% of GSDP in 2019-20 to 1.37% in 2023-24—well within the 3% limit set under the FRBM Act.