Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 13: With little over a fortnight left for the financial year to close, the Central Government has released Rs 2500 crores under Centrally Sponsored Schemes for Jammu and Kashmir out of total sanctioned amount of Rs 4000 crores while the Government was expecting the amount to reach between Rs 3600 crores to Rs 3700 crores by March 31 when current financial year would come to an end.
The Centre has also agreed to release Rs 800 to Rs 900 crores under Special Plan Assistance in the next few days, which would take total SPA to Rs 1874 or Rs 1974 crores out of total of Rs 2064 crores approved for the current fiscal.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Centre has released Rs 2500 crores for Jammu and Kashmir under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes leaving only Rs 1500 crores pending in this component. The Government has, however, assured the State’s Finance and Planning & Development Departments that it would release about Rs 1100 crores to Rs 1200 crores more in the remaining period of 2014-15 taking total amount around Rs 3600 crores to Rs 3700 crores.
“We have so far received Rs 2500 crores under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes. We are expecting Rs 1100 crores to Rs 1200 crores more given the assurances held out by the Centre,” sources said, adding “this would be satisfactory for the State and give boost to development works undertaken under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes during 2014-15.
Not only the Centrally Sponsored Schemes, the Centre was scheduled to release about Rs 800 crores to Rs 900 crores in the next couple of days under SPA.
Sources said the Centre has assured the State Government that it was going to release around Rs 800 crores to Rs 900 crores under the SPA in the next few days.
“We have already received Rs 1074 crores under the SPA with latest installment being Rs 170 crores, which was received last month. The total approved amount under SPA was Rs 2064 crores. If the State gets Rs 800 crores more it would reach 1874 crores, which would be satisfactory,” sources said.
The Planning and Development Department, held by Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and represented by Principal Secretary Planning BR Sharma and Finance Department held by Dr Haseeb Drabu and represented by Principal Secretary Finance BB Vyas have been working overtime to get as much amount as possible for current financial year under Annual Plan (the SPA is one of the components of the Plan), Centrally Sponsored Schemes, Share under Central Taxes and other components etc.
Sources, however, admitted that the State Government was anticipating some cuts in Rs 7300 crores worth Annual Plan proposed for current financial year but the things would be clear when the financial year draws to a close as most of the Plan amount is released close to end of the year.
For current financial year of 2014-15, the Centre had approved total funding for Jammu and Kashmir to the tune of Rs 11,900 crores including Rs 7300 crores Annual Plan, Rs 4000 crores Centrally Sponsored Schemes and Rs 600 crores PMRP. Apart from this, the State had to get its share from Central Taxes.
Sources said that the Government of India had earlier raised some queries, which were being replied by the Finance and Planning and Development Departments of the State Government.
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