Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 14: State Government has set in motion an exercise to prepare Draft Annual Plan document for the current financial year with Principal Secretary, Planning and Development Department directing all the Administrative Secretaries, Heads of the Departments and District Development Commissioners to submit the plan proposals by or before May 20.
For the current financial year (2014-15), a plan size of Rs 11900 crore has been proposed in the State Budget. This includes Rs 7300 crore State Plan, Rs 4000 crore under Centrally Sponsored Schemes and Rs 600 crore under Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Programme (PMRP).
The State Government is now required to prepare Draft Annual Plan document consisting of all the three items—State Plan, Centrally Sponsored Schemes and PMRP for submission to the Planning Commission of India.
In an official communiqué, the Principal Secretary, Planning and Development Department, B R Sharma has conveyed to the Administrative Secretaries of all the departments, Heads of Departments and District Development Commissioners to submit their respective draft plans by or before May 20 so that a comprehensive document is prepared and submitted timely to the Planning Commission of India.
“The plan proposals should be accompanied with brief write ups clearly highlighting the main achievements, future proposals, gender specific activities and policy parameters of the respective departments”, Mr Sharma said.
As far as capital component is concerned, the Planning Secretary has stressed that open ended schemes with lumpsum provision should be dispensed with and should be provided for identified schemes only. “No allocation under projectization (SPA) should be provided for items such as desilting, repair of transformers, maintenance, repairs, information, publicity, trainings, field functions/fairs and consultancies”, said the communiqué highlighting the broader contours of the Plan formulation.
“The State share for Centrally Sponsored Schemes/Tied Grants and Negotiated Loans both for ongoing projects and those to be implemented fresh, should be the first charge on plan and provided fully”, Principal Secretary Planning said, adding “the state share for MGNREGA, IAY, TSC, Minor Irrigation, NABARD, LIC, Mid-Day Meals should be provided from within the allocation”.
The Planning Secretary has stressed that the commitments made by the Chief Minister and Planning and Development Department should be accommodated with the Plan outlay for which there will be no additional provision. “No new work should be taken up unless there are sufficient funds—least up to 20% of the estimated cost are available that too after providing the required amount for ongoing schemes/projects”, he further said, adding “special care should be taken to incorporate all aspects relating to gender sensitivity and gender budgeting in the formulation of plans”.
Drawing the attention of all the concerned towards the guidelines of Planning Commission, Mr Sharma said, “the State is required to prepare Schedule Caste Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan for development of SC/ST population and Sub-Plans should be framed by strictly following the laid down conditions”.
All the villages/blocks with 40% or above SC/ST population will be treated as basic unit of development and SC/ST population will be provided funds at least in proportion to their population percentages and the same will be documented properly.
As far as revenue component is concerned, the communiqué said that provision for authorized daily wagers and casual/seasonal workers should be provided for actual number working in the departments and at approved rates and DA installment for the year 2014-15 should be worked out at 10% of the Basic Pay. The level of allocation for all other revenue components should be retained at last year’s level, the Planning Secretary said.
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