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| Pending annual plan, Rather pitches for interim release of Rs 2200 Crore | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, June 11: With state government having already lost three summer months of infrastructure development, the Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather is strongly pitching for earlier approval of Rs 6500 Crore annual plan which is still keeping the Jammu and Kashmir budget formation pending.
Rather today met the Union Minister for Finance, Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi and stressed upon urgency of sanctioning the Annual Plan 2009-10 which was submitted and discussed with the Union Finance Ministry in March this year, as the same was deferred due to enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct. He also emphasized that due to limited working season in the State and loss of three precious months of the current working season, priority should be given to the State’s Annual Plan which amounts to Rs. 6,500 crore.
The State Finance Minister stressed upon the necessity of authorizing interim release of Rs. 2,200 crore to the State, till the finalization of the Annual Plan, so that the developmental activities in the State can be taken up without further loss of time.
Conveying to Mr. Mukherjee the State’s decision to implement Sixth Pay Commission recommendations, Mr. Rather sought helping hand from the Centre to meet the extra burden on the State finances due to implementation of the recommendations amounting to a recurring expenditure of Rs 1,680 crore per year and arrears to the tune of Rs 4,285 crore.
The State Finance Minister also asked for release of Power Reforms Grant 2008-09 which, in spite of the tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) already signed between J&K, Planning Commission of India and Union Ministry of Finance, has not been provided. He said Chief Minister Mr. Omar Abdullah is serious to undertake the desired reforms in the sector and various initiatives have already been taken and hence there is an urgency to release the funds so that the entire system is put on the reform path. It was further highlighted by Mr. Rather that during his pre-budget consultations, nearly all sections of society, including Chambers of Commerce and Industry, supported urgent need for reform in the power sector to minimize theft of power.
Seeking an early release of balance award of 12th Finance Commission for Urban and Rural Local Bodies amounting to Rs. 229 crore, Mr. Rather requested the Union Finance Minister to address the issue on priority. He said early release of the balance award before the expiry of 12th Finance Commission Award period, will go a long way in the development of local bodies in the State.
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