Pages

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

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.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Readers are invited to comment on, criticise, run down, even appreciate if they like something in this blog. Comments carrying abusive/ indecorous language and personal attacks, except when against the people working on this blog, will be deleted. It will be exciting for all to enjoy some earnest debates on this blog...