Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: Over ₹20,320.29 crore allocated for development projects in Jharkhand remain unutilized for more than a decade, as the schemes continue to be incomplete. At the end of the financial year, departments transferred this unspent money to Public Ledger (PL) accounts of various corporations and societies under their jurisdiction.
How PL Accounts Work
PL accounts are financial tools used by semi-government bodies like corporations or societies to carry forward unspent budget allocations. Although departments show this transfer as ‘expenditure’ in financial statements, the actual funds remain unspent until used in subsequent years for the intended schemes.
Previously, there was no fixed deadline to spend the PL account money, but the government now mandates that these funds must be spent within two financial years. For instance, if an amount is credited to a PL account in 2024–25, it must be used by the end of 2026–27. Otherwise, a new budgetary provision will be required to use the unspent amount.
Current Status of PL Funds
According to government data, as of March 31, 2025:
₹41,538.92 crore had been transferred to PL accounts across 26 departments. ₹21,218.61 crore was spent. ₹20,320.29 crore remains unspent, and departments can no longer use it without a fresh budget provision.
Top Departments with Unused PL Balances:
Energy Department – ₹3,641.02 crore Higher Education Department – ₹3,552.45 crore Urban Development – ₹2,858.62 crore Agriculture & Cooperatives – ₹2,085.78 crore Building Construction – ₹1,395.10 crore
The Urban Development Department has the highest number of PL accounts due to the presence of multiple entities like municipal corporations, JUDAICO, etc. However, the Energy Department holds the largest unspent amount.
