Financial crunch in the State Unprecedented, Development works stalled, Employees without salaries : Harsh Mr. Harsh Dev Singh JKNPP Chairman and former Minister has expressed grave concern over the unprecedented cash crunch faced by the State of J&K resulting in whopping liability of Rs 2200 crore pending in various Treasuries of the state. He said that Planning Commission of India now re-christened as National Institute for transforming India (NITI) Aayog had indicated a ceiling of Rs. 7300 crore under Annual Plan, 600 crore under PMRP and 4000 crore under centrally sponsored schemes for 2014-15 but shockingly not even 50% of the funds under the aforesaid heads had been released causing unprecedented crisis in the state. He said that it was most deportable that despite the current financial year coming to a close the desirable amount of funds had not been released in favour of the state which had stalled all developmental related activity and created impediments in the creation of public infrastructure envisaged for the current year. He regretted the neglect and deprivation of J&K State despite it being a special category state. He said besides financial crisis and cash crunch in the state, the NITI Aayog’s delinquency had deprived several thousands of employees of their wages and salaries in addition to burgeoning dues and work done claims of contractors. Mr. Harsh Dev Singh regretted in particular the prejudicial treatment to Jammu as out of the Rs. 2200 crore Treasury bills pending in the state, Rs. 1415 crore pertained to Jammu region. He said that it was further deplorable that apart from the bills of contractors from R&B, irrigation, PHE, flood control, JMC, Rural Development, JMC pending for several months, the treasury bills of employees and pensioners on account of GP fund Gratuity, pension arrears besides medical claims of Kidney, heart and cancer patients also remained pending. He said that regretfully the state govt. had not held any District Development Board (DDB) meetings and had further instructed the District Administration not to take up any new works during the current year and concentrate only on the ongoing schemes launched during the previous years due to poor response from GOI. He said that the financial aid to a state is its constitutional right which can’t be affected by the change of political dispensation or imposition of Governor rule. He said that people have in fact higher expectations during Governor rule due to lack of prejudices and unbiased system of Governance. Flaying the Govt. of India for financial crisis in J&K and non release of funds till the fag end of the current financial year, Mr. Singh said that NDA Govt. had assured financial reforms and more autonomy to the states in financial matters at the time of formation of govt. He said that assurances were doled out to make the planning process more transparent and funding to states based on equitable and rational basis. He said that the NDA Govt’s announcement of financial reforms had raised expectations of equitable distribution of resources for the upliftment of the down trodden classes and economically weaker sections not in one state but all of them with the idea of inclusive development. Nothing of the sort happened, he lamented adding further that whereas other states were adequately funded and given the assured financial assistance, J&K was ignored despite it having a limited working season. Mr. Harsh Dev Singh further regretted that the change of name of PCI has not made any fundamental difference in the policies of the central govt. In fact the things have worsened in so far as the state of J&K is concerned. While in opposition, he observed, the BJP had been seeking more financial autonomy for the states but after assuming power, it wants everything to be controlled by the centre so that the states are kept on tenterhooks and remain dependent on the centre for funds from central pool which would be allotted and released by them as per their own terms and conditions, whims and fancies. Flaying the highly discriminatory approach of NITI Aayog, Mr. Singh called upon the Prime Minister to intervene and to restrain the said planning institute from according any prejudicial treatment to a sensitive state like J&K.
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 07:02:07 +0000
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