A stir was created early this week during a review meeting when a senior official in the Urban Development department in Uttar Pradesh told Minister Suresh Khanna that no infrastructure development work could be carried out as the majority of the funds have been diverted for Kumbh Mela leaving the department high and dry.

Soon after, PWD officials also began to complain that funds are being systematically diverted for the Kumbh which had adversely affected relaying of roads. “The government’s priority projects like gaddha mukt sadak (pot-hole free roads) have been severally hit by paucity of funds. The money has been diverted to spruce up roads in Allahabad (Prayagraj) where Kumbh will be held early next year,” said a the senior official on the condition of anonymity.

The desperation of official came to light at a light when the Finance department in its mid-term performance showed that only 31% of the allocated budget has been used till September 30. The report says that just ₹1.03 lakh crore has been used against the budgetary allocation of ₹3.31 lakh crore (which includes the supplementary budget) in the current fiscal. Thus, the utilisation is just slightly over 31%.

The defaulters are 32 departments which include PWD, Urban development, Forest, Agriculture, Health, Education, Sugar and sugarcane development and others.