Government hikes district plan allocations
The J&K government Thursday said it has approved a “structured scheme of financing district plans” to ensure that the past liabilities are cleared, ongoing works completed and new projects taken up.
Chairing District Development Board meetings at Baramulla and Kupwara, the Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed said his government is “doing away with the past practice of adhocism in district plans which would create liabilities and unfinished projects.”
“Under the new structured scheme, three components of allocated Capital Plan will be equally distributed in clearing past liabilities, completion of ongoing works and taking up new projects respectively,” he said. “From now on, the expenditure approved in District Board Meetings will only be for development works and not salaries. This will lay a strong foundation for creation of durable assets.”
The government said under the new criteria, four basic parameters have been taken into consideration: population, income, area and infrastructure.
The Chief Minister approved the new financing methodology during the DDB meetings today, an official spokesman said.
He said while Rs 226.32 crore Annual Plan for Baramulla district—a step up of 237% than the last year’s allocation—has been approved, the Capital Plan outlay of Rs 217.47 crore has been Okayed for Kupwara, which is 239% increase than the previous year, the spokesman said.
The Chief Minister described the new system of financing District Plans has a “huge take off that ensures infrastructure development and proper utilization of capital expenditure.”
“By separating revenue and capital components, the Capital Expenditure Plans have been made potent instruments of development,” he said, stressing on prioritizing completion of abandoned projects.
Mufti, according to the official spokesman, appreciated the Finance Minister “for making capital funding more meaningful.” He emphasized upon utilizing modes of institutional financing through schemes implemented by NABARD, Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.
Linking devolution of powers to strengthening institutions at grassroots, Mufti placed high priority on proper expenditure. For this, he said, a transparent and accountable system of governance has to be firmly entrenched.
Reiterating his commitments made during his visit to Kaman Post and Salamabad earlier this month, the Chief Minister said the Trade Facilitation Centres—at Salamabad and Chakan da Bagh—will be made “real business hubs” with creation of facilities of banking and telecommunications, besides facilitating trade delegations across the LoC.
“The Joint Secretaries of MEA and MHA have assured us that both the issues will be flagged in the next meeting of the Joint Working Group between India and Pakistan,” he said, stressing upon taking the cross-LoC Confidence Building Measures “beyond the ritual of meetings between undivided families.”
The Chief Minister also announced four-lanning of Salamabad-Kaman Post Road at a total cost of Rs 24 crore “of which Rs five crore have been allocated for the current financial year.” He also announced construction of a Residential Complex at Salamabad, besides two restaurants for passengers at Salamabad and Kaman Post, respectively.
Referring to the demands put forth by several legislators during the meeting, the Chief Minister observed that education and health sectors will be the “cog-in-the-wheel of progress in all the districts of the State.”
Laying stress on enhancing employability of youth by skill development, Mufti announced setting up of a skill development institute at SangramaKandi.
Later, in the DDB meeting of Kupwara, besides sanctioning funds for completion of ongoing works and taking up of new projects, the Chief Minister announced construction of a Maternity Hospital at Jaggarpora and a new Conference Hall at the District Headquarters, the official spokesman said.
Expressing concern over large number of vacancies in the education and health departments, in particular remote and far-flung areas of the State, Mufti said the issue of filling up of vacancies in both the sectors will be addressed after the new recruitment policy is finalized.
Minister for Finance, in his address, said the advent of new funding scheme will ensure completion of ongoing works, clearance of liabilities on account of approved projects, besides guaranteeing state share for funding under the Centrally-Sponsored Schemes.
The Chairmen of DDBs, in their remarks, “hailed” the new concept of financing, describing it as a significant step in strengthening the Single Line Administration, the spokesman added.
