Budget session begins upbeat with kitty heftier by 62%

OUTLAY ENHANCEMENT HAS COME IN RECOGNITION OF GOOD GOVERNANCE AND EFFECTIVE DELIVERY, GOVERNOR EXPLAINS
PER CAPITA INCOME HAS INCREASED 17% IN ONE YEAR
GANGTOK: The six-day long Budget Session 2011 of the State Legislative Assembly began Wednesday on a mood buoyed by the fact that the Plan Outlay for the fiscal year ahead is a massive 62% increase over last year.
In his address to the House on the first day of the session, Governor Balmiki Prasad Singh brought further positive tidings with the announcement that latest data has revealed that the per capita income of the State has increased more than 17 percent in one year, from 2008-09 to 2009-10. Per capita income, at current prices for 2009-10, stands at Rs. 57,637, a healthy 17.14% higher than the Rs. 49,201 posted in 2008-09.
He said that the top priority of the government has been to harness the State’s rich natural resources to ensure sustainable economic development and self-reliance of the Sikkimese people. The results are now showing.
The Governor added that the dedication of the State’s leadership towards ensuring a meaningful change in the quality of the lives of the people here has been appreciated by the Centre which has lavished a hefty 62% increase in the Annual Plan outlay of the State for the year 2011-12 over the previous year.

“I am happy to announce that Sikkim’s Annual Plan outlay for the year 2011-12 has been fixed at 1,400 crores, against the revised Plan outlay of 863.72 crores for the year 2010-11. The revision was necessitated because of the implementation of the Fiscal Reforms and Budget Management (1010) Act, 2010 from 01 January 2011 in the state,” he explained.
He also expressed confidence that the tempo of the development dynamism of Sikkim would continue and flourish in the 12th Plan period.
Recounting the various developmental achievements of the State Government, the Governor added that the successes “should not make us complacent as more needs to be done as we have set for ourselves a higher level of development profile”.
Continuing with similar optimism, the Governor also assured that the State government was ‘sincerely’ and ‘vigorously’ pursuing pending demands with the Centre which included the increase in the number of seats in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly from 32 to 40 to provide for reservation of seats for the enlisted tribals of Limboo and Tamang communities without disturbing the 12 seats reserved for the BL communities and also to secure Income Tax exemption for the old settlers of the State.
On the Budget document which will be tabled by the Chief Minister on Saturday, the Governor announced that the budget has been “framed with a view to reconcile growth and development targeting the poor and vulnerable sections of the society”.
The Governor expressed with confidence that the State has given “due fiscal priority to the development, social sector and infrastructure requirements”.
“In fact, we are moving on the path of effective delivery of services for and economic freedom of the people of Sikkim. Let deliberations of this budget session be in furtherance of that movement,” he concluded.
The House also saw the introductions three amendment Bills which include the Code of Criminal Procedure Amendment Bill [CPAB] which provides for an increase in the period of judicial custody of under trial prisoners to thirty days from the existing fifteen days.
The CPAB, presented by the Chief Minister who also holds the Home portfolio, recommends this enhancement to minimize the threat of possible escape of prisoners during transportation as well as at reducing the costs  and other difficulties in producing the accused before the Magistrate on account of road blocks caused by the landslides etc.
Meanwhile, the Sikkim Transport Infrastructure Development Fund (Amendment) Bill aims at “further streamlining and strengthening of the existing provisions of the Act and to revise the rate of cess in public interest as well”.
Similarly, the Sikkim Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill aims at implementing the recommendations of the working-group constituted by the RBI and to enable the Urban Cooperative Banks to augment their capital base.
The General Budget of the State for the year 2011-12 will be   presented on Saturday, 26 March.
[ANAND OBEROI]