Rs. 18,000 Crores Blocked in Departmental PL Accounts, Misuse of Funds Flagged

Jharkhand’s Government departments have left more than Rs. 18,000 crores locked in Personal Ledger (PL) accounts for over 15 years, a practice the State Finance Minister described as a mockery of financial discipline. The Government has managed to transfer Rs. 4,500 crores back into the treasury, but officials admit the problem remains much larger and continues to affect development projects.

Also Read: Jharkhand Finance Minister Presented Rs. 4296 Crores Supplementary Budget

Idle Funds Across Key Departments

According to official records, the unutilised funds are spread across several departments, including Urban Development, Minor Irrigation and Rural Engineering Organization. As of 31st March 2024, the Urban Development Department alone accounted for over Rs. 1,902 crores. Ranchi Municipal Corporation held Rs. 208 crores, Dhanbad Municipal Corporation Rs. 276 crores, JUDCO Rs. 1,187 crores, while smaller councils in Jamshedpur, Dumka and Palamu also maintained sizeable balances.

Also Read: Jharkhand’s Finance Minister Demanded State Control Over CSR Funds

Government’s Stern Warning

Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore said the practice of parking development funds in PL accounts was unacceptable. He warned that departments holding large balances would not be granted new allocations until the existing amounts were fully utilised. “Dumping funds is against financial discipline. Money must flow into projects, not remain idle in accounts,” Kishore said, adding that misuse of funds not only delayed works but undermined governance.

Also Read: Minister Radhakrishna Kishore Chaired Pre-Budget Workshop for FY 2025-26 at Project Bhawan Ranchi

Long-Standing Issue Under Review

The problem dates back to 2010–11, when earlier finance secretaries, including Amit Khare, had issued directions to use PL account balances in departmental schemes. Despite annual review provisions, the practice of leaving funds untouched has persisted. The State Government has now sought detailed reports from departments and announced that a high-level meeting will soon be convened to enforce stricter compliance.

Join the WhatsApp Group of Business Jharkhand to Stay tuned for all the latest updates of industrial-political developments in Jharkhand.