Guwahati, March 11: A Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) report on Assam has found that utilisation certificates (UC) for Rs 4,408.77 crore are pending in the state for more than three years.

The report, tabled in the Assembly yesterday, said UCs in respect of grants amounting to Rs 14,772.87 crore paid to 53 departments of the state government during 2001-02 to 2015-16 were found to be in arrears.

The UCs pending for more than three years were mostly in welfare of plain tribes and backward classes department (Rs 1,724.71 crore) followed by social welfare department (Rs 1,490.24 crore), health (Rs 1,358.16 crore), panchayat and rural development department (1,171.35 crore), finance (economic affairs) worth Rs 814.94 crore, finance (taxation) of Rs 753.50 crore and agriculture (Rs 542.55 crore).

Of total 53 departments, 19 had even failed to submit UCs in respect of grants released to them during the period 2001-02.

"In the absence of the UCs, it could not be ascertained whether the recipients had utilised the grants for the purposes for which those were given," said the CAG report on state finances for the year ended on March 2016.

The departments are required to submit UCs for the funds released from the exchequer for development activities.

"Mention was made in earlier audit reports of the CAG in this regard, but no efforts were made by the state government to ensure submission of UCs by the respective departments within the prescribed time frame. However, in a meeting convened by the finance department (in November 2012), Assam chief minister expressed grave concern and dissatisfaction over non-submission of UCs by the concerned administrative departments and directed the departmental ministers and administrative heads to ensure timely submission of UCs," said the report.

But on scrutiny, out of the UCs worth Rs 20,543 crore submitted by various departments following the meeting, UCs worth only Rs 3,928.56 crore were found to be in order.

"Therefore, the departmental authorities are required to reconcile figures and other aspects in consultation with the office of the accountant general (accounts and entitlements), Assam to settle outstanding UCs without delay. Further a monitoring system should be evolved by the respective departments so that expeditious submission of UCs by the recipients is ensured," the report recommended.

Non-submission of UCs on time has been a topic for political blame-game in Assam with the NDA government in 2014 openly criticising the Congress-led Assam government (2001-2016) for the same.

The BJP leaders had said the Centre delayed release of funds as the Congress government in the state failed to submit UCs on time.

But Congress countered the charges by saying UCs remained pending as projects, for which funds were released, could not be completed on time due to various problems such as floods.