Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 12: Advisor to Governor, Kewal Krishan Sharma, today chaired maiden official meeting, after assuming office, to review the functioning of the Finance Department.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, Finance, Navin K Choudhary, Excise Commissioner, Talat Parvez Rohella, Commissioner Commercial Taxes, M Raju besides senior functionaries of the concerned departments.
The Advisor enquired about the budgetary allocation under several heads for the current financial year. He called for putting in coordinated efforts at various levels to address the bottlenecks, if any.
Principal Secretary, Finance, Navin Choudhary informed the chair that the Gross Budget for the current financial year is tune to Rs 80,313 crore whereas the Revenue Receipt is Rs 64,269 crore.
He further informed that the State has a total of Rs 51,185 crore under Revenue Expenditure including Interest, Power purchase/ liability/ Subsidy, Maintenance/ Repairs/ Material and Supplies, Grant in Aid, CSS, and Primary Revenue Expenditure of Rs 46,195 cr (Salaries, Pension, Others) out of the said amount.
The Advisor further had a detailed review of funds allocated under Prime Minister Development Programme (PMDP) and asked for expediting the works under PMDP.
He also sought recommendations on effective utilization of funds for cleaning of Dal Lake included in PMDP. He said that all the issues put forth in the meeting shall be taken up with the concerned authorities.
The meeting was also informed about the entitlement from the Centre, Revenue Performance, Tax Revenues, Non-Tax Revenues besides Extra Budgetary Decisions and likely Financial Burden including regularization of casual labourers and its financial implications.
Several key issues pertaining to impact of 7th Pay Commission, additional salary burden of CSS like SSA, RMSA, ICDS and Family Welfare and power purchase liability besides languishing projects and recruitments were also discussed during the meeting. It was further informed that an Expenditure Monitoring Document being prepared every month to monitor the monthly expenditures.
Meanwhile, Kewal Krishan Sharma reviewed the functioning of Public Works (R&B) Department in a high-level meeting here today.
While taking a detailed review of yearly progress and completion of schemes, the Advisor sought the details for the pending schemes and position of newly taken up projects.
During the meeting, the Advisor took a detailed assessment of the physical and financial progress on projects taken under NABARD, Central Road Fund (CRF), PMGSY, Cities and Town plan and State Sector Schemes across the State.
The Advisor directed for the submission of detailed report on the delays in pending works. He also took stock of division wise achievements made under separate heads.
He had a detailed review of the cumulative status of PMGSY from Phase 1 to XII. It was informed that a total of 3501 schemes with length of 19692.46 km costing Rs 12799.76 cr have been approved out of which 1695 schemes were completed achieving 9524.75 km length connecting 2249 habitations.
The chair was also briefed about the Sector wise outlay including regular schemes, CRF, PMGSY, Ring Roads, NABARD Loan.
It was further informed that Under Special Bridges Plan, a total of 502 works were sanctioned costing Rs 1193.36 cr. It was further informed that a total of 102 works has been completed out of 488 approved works under NABARD -RIDF (XVII to XXIII). Under Central Road Fund since 2001, a total of 297 projects were sanctioned.
Meanwhile, Advisor took a review of the power scenario in the State.
The Advisor was briefed about the overall power scenario and power potential in the State. He enquired about the power purchases, energy availability, distribution plan, upcoming projects, overall structure and working of the Power Development Department (PDD) besides various schemes and programmes being implemented by the department for further improvement and augmentation of power scenario.
The Advisor called for putting in place an effective mechanism to ensure that several ongoing projects in power sector are completed within the stipulated time frame. He further called for effective monitoring of various schemes to ensure better power infrastructural facilities with special focus on improving power supply in the rural and far flung areas.
The Development Commissioner Power, Ajay Gupta informed the Advisor about the measures undertaken for early completion and implementation of various flagship programmes besides current status of several such schemes including DeenDayalUpadhaya Gram Jyoti Yojana -(DDUGJY), UJJALA, SAUBHAGYA, IPDS, UDAY and other schemes.
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