CHAMLING TABLES RS. 6,666 CR BUDGET

Focus this fiscal will be on quality completion of ongoing projects
TIME TO RISE ABOVE BLAME-GAME AND CONTRIBUTE TO NATION BUILDING, CM EXHORTS -  VISHNU NEOPANEY.

SIKKIM’S LEGISLATORS FOR THIS TERM:

[Sitting Left to right ]: Arjun Ghatani, Tshering Wangdi Lepcha, Tulshi Devi Rai, Ugen Gyatso Bhutia, Somnath Poudyal, Sonam Gyatso Lepcha, Pawan Chamling, Governor Shriniwas Patil, KN Rai, DD Bhutia, Sher Bahadur Subedi, Dorjee Tshering Lepcha, Ram Bahadur Subba, Garjaman Gurung, Narendra Kumar Subba

[Standing Left to Right]: Beg Bahadur Rai, Karma Sonam Lepcha, DN Sherpa, Chandra Maya Subba, Tilu Gurung, Bikram Pradhan, Sonam Dadul Bhutia, Dr. Michung Bhutia, Ugen Nidup Bhutia, Sonam Lama, Pintso Chopel Lepcha, Hemendra Adhikari, Trimothy William Basnett, Prem Singh Tamang, Kunga Nima Lepcha, Shyam Sundar Pradhan, Gopal BarailyGANGTOK,.
23 June: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling tabled a Rs. 6,666.71 crore budget in the Legislative Assembly today. Mr. Chamling, who also holds the Finance, Revenue and Expenditure portfolio, was presenting the 20th consecutive budget of the SDF Government led by him. The budget 2014-15 comprises Rs. 3497.03 crore under Plan and Rs.3169.68 crores under Non-Plan account and comes with a mere Rs. 4 lakh deficit.
The Chief Minister has projected gross revenue of Rs. 6,113.31 crore and expenditure of Rs. 6,666.71 crore for the fiscal year 2014-15 and informed that the difference will be met through borrowings and funding through the Public Accounts. The contribution from tax revenue sources to the gross revenue receipts is of the order or Rs. 497.39 crore and in the case of Non-Tax revenue the amount is projected at Rs. 1,098.92 crore.
Dwelling on the state budgetary profile for the current financial year, Mr. Chamling shared that the state Annual Plan has been tentatively fixed at Rs. 2,210 crore subject to revision after finalization. The outlay of the fiscal components includes Rs. 348 crore under Prime Minister's Relief Package for earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation, Rs. 369.22 crore under borrowings, Rs. 372.27 crore under Additional Central Assistance [ACA], Rs. 119.53 crore under Special Plan Assistance [SPA], Rs.230 under Special Central Assistance [SCA], Rs. 130.50 crore under Grants for externally aided project.
The budget component of the financial year comprising Rs. 3,497.03 crore under Plan which includes allocations under the dispensation of North Eastern Council, Non-Lapsable Pool of Central resources and centrally sponsored schemes and Rs. 3,169.68 crore under Non-Plan account. While the discussion of the budget is proposed to begin 24 June, discussion and voting on the excess demands for grants for the financial year 2008-09 will be done on 27 June 2014, it is informed.
The Chief Minister, in his Budget Speech, dedicated Budget 2014-15 to the youth of Sikkim and said, “Over the last many years, our focus has been on channelizing youth potential towards entrepreneurial ventures. Government programmes are youth oriented and we will continue to pursue this policy of youth empowerment in the days to come.”
“Socio-Political unrest around the world bear heavily on our development process as multiple issues impact our lives, stoke inflation and render many of our socio-economic programmes incomplete and ineffective,” stressed Mr. Chamling in conclusion, highlighting the impact of global economic recession and also urged all the members of the house to collectively work out corrective measures to check price rise and address concerns about rupee depreciation.
While tabling the budget for financial year 2014-15, the Chief Minister said that completion of the projects which are under implementation, including the hydel power projects, would be the first priority to avoid cost over-runs. No new projects will be taken up till the completion of old projects, he announced.
He also informed the House about the state's highest hydel power project Teesta Stage III, the first Unit of which is likely to be operational by March next year. Teesta Stage-III was scheduled for completion by April 2012 but was delayed by the 2011 earthquake.
On the financial challenges facing the State, the CM stressed that the Twelfth Finance Commission “grossly under-estimated” the committed liabilities of the State due to which the State’s resources have been adversely affected. Against the projection made to the Thirteenth Finance Commission of Rs. 9,131.45 crores, the State Government was granted an amount of Rs. 4,525.80 crores.
Meanwhile, the CM has proposed the provision of 12 percent job reservation to candidates belongings to BPL category for direct recruitment under the State government and public sector undertakings. He has further proposed the upgradation of capacity building for police forces to tackle emerging challenges by adopting the best procedures, available crisis management plan and by forming Quick Response Units. The state government also proposes to install CCTV cameras in all the vital installations including State Secretariat Building.
Mr. Chamling urged the legislators to honour and respect the mandate that the people of Sikkim have reposed on them and diligently strive to fulfill the aspirations and expectations of every single Sikkimese. “And, we are aware that the fate of our people and the essential question of development and security of the State rest in collective support and contribution made by all of us,” he exhorted, adding, “This is time that we raise ourselves above the blame game an make respective contribution in the nation building process. In order to reinforce a complete realization of and wholehearted participation by people in all our endeavours, I am confident that with all of us together, it is within our power to make miracles in the life of our people and our State”.
Earlier, the proceedings of the first day of the Budget Session 2014 began with the address of the Governor Shriniwas Patil who, while addressing the gathering congratulated the SDF government for coming into power for the fifth consecutive term with a clear mandate to govern the state of Sikkim for the next five years.

State prepares for Twelfth Five Year Plan

STATE MTFP 2011-12 TO 2013-14 TARGETS 15% TAX AND 20 % NON TAX REVENUE GROWTH
GANGTOK, 06 Feb: It will be interesting and noteworthy to see this year’s budget allocation to each of the departments and more so the annual budget of the state government as finalized by the Planning Commission of India. While the annual budget is supposed to be passed by the Legislative Assembly by March 2012 this year there may be some delay due to changes in estimates and proposals of the state government which had to be re-worked due to the earthquake of 18 September and subsequent damages incurred by the state.
With the state - as well as the country - now entering the next 5 year plan phase the state government is required to assess the availability of resource for financing the Twelfth Plan; in fact this has to be prepared and submitted to the central government before finalization of the Annual Plan. While the direction issued by the Finance Department last year to the government departments was to formulate their budget proposals as early as possible and the heads of departments requested to take immediate steps for formulation of  Budget for 2012-2013 and estimate the projection for remaining years of the 12th plan the process, it is likely, will be re-visited and the post earthquake scenario considered, assessed and accounted for as well.
It may be mentioned here that the state government has enacted the Fiscal Reform and Budget Management Act in 2010-11and introduced Medium Term Fiscal Plan (MTFP) containing the Fiscal projections for the period 2011-12 (BE) to 2013-14. While preparing the MTFP, 15% in Tax Revenue and 20% in Non Tax Revenue have been targeted. In view of this the state government has desired that the prescribed growth of tax and non tax revenue should not be less than the prescribed growth rate projected in the MTFP. In case of any variations to the estimated growth rate the departments will be required to submit their explanations.
This time the central government has desired some changes as well as some more regulation when it comes to preparing the state’s annual as well as 12th plan. All departments are required to submit a statement on the existing strength of Muster Roll and Work-Charged employees separately under non-plan. In case of Departments like Human Resource Development, Police, Health and Rural Management and Development, Nominal Rolls are to be segregated District wise, Subdivision
wise, Institution wise etc. No provisions are to be made for posts lying vacant for more than 1 year and further it is directed that provision for vacant posts should be made with circumspection in order to avoid savings due to non filling up of posts. A consolidated statement showing total strength is to be prepared for each department.
For the projection period i.e. from 2013-14 onwards growth rate of Non-Plan revenue expenditure is to be taken as 8% except for salaries, pension, interest payment. In case of any variation explanations are to be forwarded by the departments.
Consolidated estimates for revenue receipts were to be worked out on Trend Growth Rate as well as on policy decisions and other orders. In the event of any shortfall anticipated in revenue realization in revised estimates of 2011-2012 explanations were to be appended. The Finance Department had also desired that detailed explanations be furnished by departments which, during the financial year 2010-2011 had not been able to realize their estimated revenue; furthermore they are also required to propose the steps taken to overcome the shortfall of the previous year in order that the deficit is neutralized. In fact the departments had been directed to take urgent steps to increase their revenue commensurate with increase in expenditure.

More than 50% of state budget going to Salaries and Deptts don’t know number of their Employees!

FINANCE COMMISSION SEEKS AN EMPLOYEE CENSUS
GANGTOK, 06 Nov: What was long feared but never spoken aloud or even enquired into much has now been given a firm stamp of confirmation by none other than the central government itself in the form of the 13th Finance Commission.