SRINAGAR: Describing 2016-Jammu and Kashmir Budget as a fairy tale, National Conference MLA Devender Singh Rana on Tuesday cautioned the PDP led coalition against endorsing GST to placate ‘masters in Delhi’, saying this will not be in consonance with the special status of the State.
“Since our Finance Minister is making us believe to be the champion of Kashmir, Kashmiriyat and its special entity, let he not become an instrument to trample the special identify of the State”, Mr Rana said while taking part on the discussions on this year’s budget in the Legislative Assembly.
He also took strong exception to the Coalition Government’s intentions on the implementation of 7th Pay Commission Report by stating in the budget document that it will be debated and said this is a commitment which has to be fulfilled without adopting diversionary tactics.
Rana blamed the Finance Minister for unnecessarily sensationaisng the GP Fund account issue and said if it was such a “financial harakari” as mentioned in the budget speech, why did Drabu keep quiet on this issue from 2002 to 2009 when he was the Economic Advisor to the State and why did he transfer the DA installments to the GPF accounts of the employees as Finance Minister last year. Rana said these are diversionary tactics.
The MLA also expressed concern over delay in regularization of different categories of casual workers, especially in the Public Health Engineering Department
Welcoming the promise of fiscal autonomy to Universities in Jammu and Kashmir, Rana said that the government must also ensure administrative autonomy of the varsities, pointing out that some of his BJP colleagues were scheming to oust the Vice Chancellor of Jammu University.
He accused the Coalition Government of cleverly skipped economic survey, which would have exploded the myth by giving update on the State’s economic health and laying bare the failure of the previous budget of the present Finance Minister to boost growth in primary sectors.
Referring to the Finance Minister’s speech, Rana said that if Dr Drabu knew that Rs 3000-4000 crore were lying idle, why he not took appropriate action for efficient fiscal management, as a result of which development had slowed down.
The MLA Nagrota opposed levying of additional taxes, especially on the readymade garments and day to day use commodities, saying that that Roti, Kapda and Makan has distanced from reach of the poor people. In this regard, he said amid laughter that the members and ministers belonging to treasury benches may be getting congratulatory calls but the opposition is flooded with SoS messages from people who have been badly hit by the budget.
“You are connected with New Delhi through phones but we continue to maintain bonding with our own people in Jammu and Kashmir”, he said amidst laughter, adding that the feedback from the people and stakeholders on the budget is worrisome.
Rana questioned levying of 14.5 per cent VAT, saying this is cruel even as the sales tax collections last year have increased significantly from targeted Rs 5744 crore to Rs 5985 crores.
He said the Finance Minister should not keep his ears shut to the outcry of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries in both the provinces of the State.
The MLA wondered over the much trumpeted announcement of the coalition with regard to waiving of tuition fee to girl students up to 12th class in the government schools, saying they were, in fact, never charged any fee.
Rana also dwelt on budgetary proposal in agriculture, power, industry and other sectors and said that instead of making hollow commitments, the state needs practical initiatives to steer it to progress and prosperity. He sought genuine promotion of industries, saying that commitment of 10,000 kanals of land for industrial estates has not fructified.
He questioned the rationale of creating a Water Resources Department with additional allocation of Rs 2 cores and wondered what happened to the Dal Development Bonds, promised by the Finance Minister in his last year’s budget.
On the budgetary estimates, Rana pointed out that by the fiscal deficit in the FRBM Act statement has been given by the state as 3 per cent while actually it is 4.67 per cent.
He wanted to know whether this was an attempt to cover the state government’s own failures.
On power budget, Rana urged the government not to shy away from carrying forward the initiatives taken by the Omar Abdullah government with regard to reforms in the power sector, its generation and laying of transmission lines. He said the NC led government laid the foundation for nearly 7000 MW additional power generation besides strengthening the transmission and distribution system.
Rana also referred to growing unemployment in the state, saying concrete steps were needed to address this problem.
The MLA expressed concern over ignoring the crucial agriculture sector and leaving the flood sufferers in lurch. He castigated the government for reduced recommendations about compensation to PoK refugees, saying that against a projected Rs 9096 crores, the state is settling for meager Rs 2000 crores, which is also nowhere to be seen.