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| Is violating austerity measures a coalition dharma ? | | | When the Government report indicated that Chief Minister,Omar Abdullah,had incurred zero expenses on his travel and tours during the 2011-2012 it was a whiff of fresh air for those lamenting over the continued financial crunch in Jammu and Kashmir.However,within days one's mouth turned bitter when another official report revealed that during the last three years the Government has spent over Rs.15 crores on the renovation of offficial and private bunglows of the Chief Minister, his ministerial colleagues and senior bureaucrats in the twin capitals of the state.This means that the process of renovating and repairing ministerial bunglows has been made a regular affair.
Is it more important than raising the wages of the SPOs and the VDC members ?Is renovation of ministerial bunglows more important that resolving the problem of unemployment or clearing the 6th pay commission arrears for the employees ?None other an Omar Abdullah needs to answer these two questions because being the Chief Minister he is supposed to lay- down the guidelines on such matters and that too when he is on the top of those whose bunglows in Srinagar and Jammu have gulped about Rs.five crores on renovation of his official bunglows in Srinagar and Jammu
The report says that the Go vernment has spent a whopping Rs 15 crore on the renovation of official as well as private bungalows of ministers, bureaucrats and senior police officials in twin capital cities during the last three years.The official figures revealed that the highest expenditure of around Rs 13 crore has been incurred on the residences of ministers, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who tops the list with Rs 459.05 lakhs having being spent on his residences in Jammu and Srinagar. The renovation of his residence in Srinagar alone cost Rs 52.13 lakhs to the government in the year 2009-10, Rs 297.76 lakhs in 2010-11 and Rs 49 lakhs in 2011-12. Over Rs 60 lakhs have been spent on his Jammu residence during this period.The Chief Minister is followed by the Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather, who has spent Rs 93.47 lakhs on the renovation of his two houses in the twin capital cities.
The highest expenditure again has been on his Srinagar house, where government had to shell out Rs 41.62 lakhs during 2009-10, Rs 45.20 lakhs in 2010-11 and Rs 6.65 lakhs during 2011-12.Similarly, the government had to spend Rs 63.22 lakhs on the residences of Agriculture Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir, Rs 38.69 lakhs on Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, Rs 38.25 lakhs on Speaker, LA, Muhammad Akbar Lone, Rs 20.57 lakhs on Deputy Speaker LA, Sartaj Madni, Rs 38.28 lakhs on Minister for Public Enterprises, Peerzada Muhammad Syed, Rs 16.85 lakhs on Tourism Minister, Nawang Rigzin Jora, Rs 39.37 lakhs on Transport Minister, Qamar Ali Akhoon, Rs 57.7 lakhs on Minister for Medical Education, RS Chib, Rs 38.48 lakhs on Social Welfare Minister, Sakina Itoo. Rs 43.46 lakhs on Revenue Minister, Raman Bhalla, Rs 44.23 lakhs on Industries Minister, SS Slathia and Rs 37.49 lakhs on Law Minister, Ali Muhammad Sagar.Similarly, the renovation of the house of Health Minister, Sham Lal Sharma cost Rs 33.4 lakhs.
The Government may claim that there has been nothing unprecedented about the expenses incurred othe r enovation of ministerial bunglows and in certain cases expenses in this sector have been on a higher side in the past.Still in the fiscal situation that exists in the state these three years there is need for observing austerity measures.People,who have been frequent visit- ors to the ministerial bunglows,say that the condition of these houses has been fine and there has been no need for carrying out year after renovation. Another issue that needs to be explained by the Government pertains to expenses on renovation of privat e houses owned by the ministers and where they continue to live as members of the council of ministers.
If it is so it means that ministers get a chance for getting their private residences renovated at Government expenses. If it is to continue ministers in such category should not be entitled to any house rent.Whatever argument officials have the Government needs to observe austerity measures in all spheres of activities till the state's fiscal condition improved. |
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