Jammu Kashmir Budget 2016 row
Mudassir Ahmad
Srinagar: Picking holes in the Jammu Kashmir Budget 2016, the opposition parties in Upper House termed the financial statement presented by Finance Minister as vision less and directionless and stated that the budget has left out key sectors while exaggerated figures to score points.
Drabu had presented Rs 64,679 crore Jammu Kashmir Budget 2016 before the Legislative Assembly on Monday while his junior minister presented it in the Legislative Council.
Participating in the discussion on Jammu Kashmir Budget 2016 National Conference Legislator Ali Muhammad Dar said that the Finance Minister has given “damn to the sanctity of the house”. “He has issued SROs without the budget and grants being discussed here,” Dar said. “It has happened first time that without discussing budget, the SROs are issued by the Finance department,” he said adding that the budget has imposed taxes on various items which are “uncalled for”.
Dar said the government in the last budget had claimed of waiving off loan to the farmers. “But that didn't happen. During the NC-Congress tenure, government used to spend Rs 5 lakh for macdamization of 1-km of road. Now the government is spending Rs 40 lakh on 1-km of road still the roads are in the pathetic condition,” he said. He said there was nothing for panchayats in the budget.
Another NC legislator Sajad Kitchloo while taunting the Finance Minister said, “Drabu sahab is an intelligent person and know well tricks to hoodwink people. But this Jammu Kashmir Budget 2016 is totally visionless and directionless.”
“Last year, he said during this budget speech that he won't go to New Delhi with a begging bowl, but this year's budget is totally contrary to his last year's budget. Drabu you are a noted economist but you have come first time in the political system and should accept the reality. He is sugar coating to make people believe that it is good budget but on contrary it is directionless,” Kitchloo said while pointing towards Drabu, who was also present in the House.
Giving details how the budget has “played up figures”, he said that during district development review meeting of Kishtwar, the annual allocation for district was pegged at Rs 135 crore.
“But on analyzing it, the state's share is only 10 crore and remaining funds are from central sponsored schemes,” he said.
He said during last year's budget he boosted about getting back power projects from centre to give fillip to the state's economy. “But Union Power Minister has punctured their claims by stating that the centre won't return power projects to J&K,” he added.
He said it was for the first time that the finance department has kept economic survey report under carpet in order to hide its performance. “If Economic survey is tabled all his tall claims will be grounded as the survey report presents factual position of the state's economy,” he added.
Kithcloo said that during budget, Drabu claimed that previous government had appointed casual labourers in departments. “But I want inform him that most of the casual laborers where employed during 2002-2008 when PDP-Congress government was in power.”
He said that the Jammu Kashmir Budget 2016 has no funds earmarked for administrative units which are almost defunct now.
Congress Legislator, Naresh Gupta said that the budget presented by the government has put its credibility at stake as the budget is totally in contrast to the government budget presented by it last year. “It is jugglery of figures and futile exercise which has nothing to offer,” he said.
Gupta said the resources of the Chenab valley were being looted and people don't receive any benefits from them.
BJP MLC, Ajat Shutra demanded roll back of tax on turbine aviation fuel. “Hike in turbine aviation will affect the tourism sector,” he said.
Ramesh Arora of BJP demanded that the government should wind-up State Road Transport Corporation. “During budget, Finance Minister highlighted the mafia behind outsourcing transport services to private companies by SRTC which is incurring losses to the state exchequer,” he said adding that “I would suggest the government to wind up the SRTC”.
He further while deliberating on budget appreciated the initiatives of the Finance Minister.
PDP MLC Zaffar Iqbal Manhas while debating on the budget said that the budget has been silent on the Paharis. “There are more than 10 lakh paharis but Jammu Kashmir Budget 2016 has no mention about them,” he said. However, he said the budget proposal by the Finance Minister highlights the far sightedness of the government.
“When in 2015, the PDP took over the reins of government, the state was financial problems due to unprecedented floods and mis-governance,” he said. “But Finance Minister has done well to focus on restructuring of the statement.
