CM gives departments 100 days to prove commitment, will divert funds to performers otherwise

BUDGET HAILED AS PRO-DEVELOPMENT, MLAs LOOK FORWARD TO EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT IMPLEMENTATION NOW
Rs. 315 CRORES FOR SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES TO ENSURE ‘NO-CEILING’ ON FUNDING REQUIREMENTS OF EARNEST ENTREPRENEURS
GANGTOK, 28 March: Day-5 of the Budget Session 2011 saw members Sonam Gyatso Bhutia, MLA, Ralang- Barfung and Tulsi Devi Rai, MLA, Melli participate in the general discussions on Monday the budget presented  by the Chief Minister, who also holds the Finance portfolio, in the House on Saturday. The members appear to have warmed up to legislative proceedings and after the first three days ended quick, without much interaction, discussions and announcements have started featuring since yesterday. Among the more substantial announcements made in the House today, the Chief Minister set a 100-day deadline for departments to start work on projects bankrolled by the latest budget. He warned that funds would be diverted away from departments which dragged their feet.
The MLAs who joined the discussion on the budget, while welcoming it, highlighted that the Assembly had delivered out its duties by bringing in the proposed budget, and that now, it was the responsibility of the bureaucracy to ensure proper delivery to the masses and to projects and areas where it was needed the most.
The members, while urging for “effective and efficient implementation” of the schemes and programmes of the government, added that the budget would benefit all sections of society, especially the poorest of the poor and the educated unemployed youth because of its focus on security and support through schemes to enhance self-sufficiency.

In his reply to the general discussions on the budget, the Leader of the House highlighted that the “positive- image” of governance created by the SDF Government through the years, had contributed to the making of history by bringing in a plan allocation which was 62.09 percent higher than the previous year’s. He said that the Planning Commission was ‘witness’ to the progress made by Sikkim, because of which, the ‘historic increase’ was made possible.
“Never in the history of the nation has any state received an increase of such magnitude. This shows that we are on the right track. I wholeheartedly thank the Centre for making this budget towards innovation possible for the people of Sikkim”, the Chief Minister put on record today. It may be recalled that the Year 2011 has been declared as the “Year of Innovation”.
Explaining the primary thrust of the budget, the CM informed that it will accelerate the developmental pace in Sikkim and help solve the problems of the general masses directly.
“The budget is not only to facilitate new initiatives and schemes, but to reinforce the existing and under-progress ones as well. This is a result-oriented budget, and henceforth all developmental projects will be time-bound”, he stated.
Here, he added that all works under the budget plan should be executed by the concerned ministries and departments ‘immediately’ and ‘visible progress’ made.
“There is a 100-day deadline for all departments to begin utilising the budget as per the plan allocation, failing which the budget provision will be diverted to departments which need funds to deliver to their potential. There will be no more new projects sanctioned until the existing works are completed,” stressed the CM.
He added that the panchayats, government servants and people’s representatives should take this matter seriously and start with immediate implementation of works which are intended at “strengthening the future” of the underprivileged and the youth of the state through human development programmes.
It was explained that in the pursuit of eradicating poverty in Sikkim, the budget has allocated a package of Rs. 265 crores to the “Kutcha house free state” mission.
Similarly, he highlighted that a package of Rs. 315 crores has been set aside to develop small scale industries and programmes intended at self-reliance for the general masses who could initiate income generation schemes at their door-steps.
“This is an ambitious proposal, and we have to achieve it. Qualitative measures should be adopted since we have to ensure quality in all spheres of works being initiated here. No new roads will be dug and no new buildings constructed; instead, the existing structures will be maintained and improved for the people,” stated the Chief Minister.    
He also informed that livelihood schools will be made fully operational in all the constituencies within this year for which the required funding has been set aside.
Further, he announced that the unemployed youth will now be assisted with a “no-ceiling” limit on “good and profitable” enterprises in the service sector.
“if a youth wants to become a driver, the government will give him a subsidized loan to buy his own vehicle, similarly, if a girl who has undergone massage therapy training can now get a loan of over Rs. 10 lakhs to setup her own parlour and if a youth wants to open a restaurant then a loan of over Rs. 6 lakhs can be arranged. There will be no limit for good and fruitful projects”, concluded the Chief Minister.

[ANAND OBEROI]