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| Wasteful expenses despite austerity measures | | | It is a tale of wasteful expenses despite austerity measures announced by the Government in Jammu and Kashmir.It has been a saga of either pilferage or underutilisation or misappropriation of funds earmarked for various development projects,including the centrally sponsored schemes.And the latest is the revelation on the floor of the Assembly on the amount the Government spent on renovation and repair of official residences of ministers,legislators and senior bureaucrats.A Government report has indicated that over Rs.26 crores have been spent on the renovation of the official bunglows and quarters of ministers,legislat ors and bureaucrats during 2009-2011 financial year.And if the expenss incurred on renovation and repair of these houses during the last six months are taken into account the expenditure figure may have crossed Rs.30 crores.
Besides this,the ministers,ministers of state and those enjoying the status of ministers of state have burdened the state exchequer by over Rs.five crores which have been spent on their TA/DA and on fuel expenses during the last three years.Several crores of rupees have been spent on telephone bills and huge sums on power consumption.Rough estimates indicate that during the last three years more than Rs.75 crores have been spent on renovation and repair of official residences of ministers,legislators,senior bureaucrats,on their TA/DA,fuel,telephone and electricity consumption. If these figures are compared with other states Jammu and Kashmir may be blamed for achieving a new high in wasteful expenses.
But can a cash starved state of Jammu and Kashmir enjoy the liberty for spending several crores of rupees on nonproductive activities? No,certainly not.Yes Maharashtra Government could have allocated bigger sums of money for repairing and renovating ministerial houses because its financial health is much better than Jammu and Kashmir state.Still the Maharashtra Government earmarked only Rs.eight crores on the repair and renovation of 20 ministerial houses.Jammu and Kashmir state,which has to bank on 80 per cent central financial support for its plan and nonplan activities cannot emulate Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister,Mayawati,who has allocated Rs.23 crores on the construction of a palatial building for her post-chief miniterial days.The state Government has to evolve a mechanism which can help it and its agencies in observing austeriy measures which have been dished out by the Finance Minister.Secondly,the state Government needs to develop a methodology for ensuring full and proper utilisation of funds allocated for various development projects,including the centrally sponsored schemes.Once it is done the rate of pilferage and misappropriation of Government funds is bound to decline allowing a chance to people to enjoy the fruits of development.
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