The District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting for South Andaman district was held on November 27 at the Zilla Parishad Conference Hall, with a review of the implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes revealing gaps in utilisation of funds and delays in achieving targets. The meeting was chaired by the Member of Parliament from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, who emphasised the need for time-bound execution and better coordination among departments to ensure that development works reach intended beneficiaries.
DISHA, a statutory committee constituted to oversee the effective implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes, is mandated to track physical and financial progress, identify bottlenecks and ensure transparency in the use of Central funds at the district level. The committee comprises elected representatives and senior officials, with the Deputy Commissioner of South Andaman serving as the Member Secretary responsible for convening meetings and ensuring follow-up action on decisions taken.
During the meeting, officials reviewed schemes across multiple sectors, including employment generation, rural roads, housing, health, education, sanitation, agriculture, fisheries and digital infrastructure. In South Andaman district alone, 34 Centrally Sponsored Schemes fall under the purview of DISHA, covering flagship programmes such as MGNREGA, PMGSY, PM Awas Yojana, National Health Mission, Ayushman Bharat, Smart City Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, Jal Jeevan Mission, Samagra Shiksha and Digital India, among others.
Some schemes were taken up for detailed discussion, including MGNREGA, PMGSY, Soil Health Card, PM Fasal Bima Yojana, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana and the Gokul Mission. Presentations were made by implementing departments on progress and challenges, but the Chair observed that several key aspects were either missing or inadequately covered. Officials noted that information on scheme objectives, physical achievements, financial utilisation over the last five years and proposed future projects had not been presented in a comprehensive manner.
In response, the Chair directed all implementing agencies to submit complete, scheme-wise details within seven days to the Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman. These inputs, once compiled, will be circulated among all members of the DISHA Committee. A subsequent full-fledged DISHA meeting will then be convened to conduct a comprehensive review and take informed decisions on corrective measures and future planning.
Concerns were also raised over unutilised Central funds under several schemes. The Chair noted that substantial allocations remain untapped, resulting in delays in execution and shortfalls in both physical and financial targets. Such underperformance, it was pointed out, has slowed down development works and affected the pace of infrastructure creation and service delivery across the district.
Departments were urged to expedite the implementation of ongoing schemes and ensure timely utilisation of funds already sanctioned. Emphasis was laid on meeting prescribed targets so that fresh proposals for additional funding could be submitted to the Government of India. The meeting also took note of the constrained nature of the Union Territory budget, a large share of which is committed to fixed liabilities, making Central assistance crucial for expanding development activities.
The Chair underlined that demonstrating satisfactory progress under existing Centrally Sponsored Schemes is essential to securing further financial support from Union Ministries. Assurance was given that efforts would be made at the Central level to pursue the sanction of new projects, provided departments deliver on current commitments. The meeting concluded with a call for coordinated action among elected representatives and officials to accelerate infrastructure development and improve public welfare outcomes across South Andaman district.
