Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 15: The administration was fully ready with presentation of annual budget or taking Vote-on-Account as it has completed ground work Department wise taking priority sectors into account with both possibilities-whether any of the two had to be adopted by Governor N N Vohra or the newly formed State Government.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Planning and Development and Finance Departments were now engaged in giving final touches to both budget and Vote-on-Account-either of which were preferred by the Governor or the newly formed Government.
However, according to sources, the Governor, who was presently vested with full Legislature powers in view of Governor’s Rule in the State since January 8 following the death of then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, was likely to prefer Vote-on-Account on or after March 1 for a period of three or six months if the popular Government was not formed by the next fortnight.
“If the Government was formed or the political parties, enjoying majority in the Assembly briefed the Governor that they were going to form the Government and will get the budget passed or take Vote-on-Account before March 31, the deadline for doing so, Vohra can defer taking the Vote-on-Account if he was satisfied with claim of the likely Government,” sources said.
Pointing out that last year the then PDP-BJP Government had presented budget on March 22 within 22 days of formation of the Government, sources said this year too, the Government can repeat the exercise provided that new Government was formed around March 1.
Any further delay would compel the Governor to go for Vote-on-Account. Adoption of full budget by the Governor is a remote possibility though he has full powers to do so.
On their part, the administration, mainly the Planning and Development and Finance Departments have nearly completed their exercise for all the options and were giving final touches either for presentation of full budget or taking Vote-on-Account by the Governor or the new Government.
“Yes, we are ready with all options. Our figure work is nearly completed. The Department wise exercise has also been done. The priority sectors have been identified. On February 29 Central budget has to be watched,” a top Government officer said, adding though the Central budget, which will be presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 29 in Lok Sabha, wouldn’t alter the budget figures, it could give some new projects to the State.
“There will be no change if the State takes the Vote-on-Account by February 29 Central budget or February 22 rail budget, which will be presented by Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu,” sources noted.
The Vote-on-Account can be taken for a minimum period of three and maximum of six months. In between the period, either the Governor or the duly elected Government had to present full budget. If the Government is not formed within the period for which the Vote-on-Account has been taken, the Governor had to adopt the budget, which is finally approved by the Parliament. However, if the Government is formed within the period of Vote-on-Account, it can present the budget before expiry of the deadline.
Sources said the Governor has already asked all the Administrative Secretaries especially those engaged with the budgetary exercise including Planning and Development and Finance Departments to get ready for presentation of Vote-on-Account or budget on March 1 but the possibilities were that he might opt for the Vote-on-Account and leave presentation of budget to the new Government provided that if the new Government was not formed by March 1.
It may be mentioned here that budget for next financial year of 2016-17 had to be passed on or before March 31. Similarly, the second option of Vote-on-Account has also to be taken before March 31 to facilitate the Government to withdraw sums from the exchequer for the functioning and developmental works to go on apart from other financial requirements of the State.
Last year, the then Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu had presented budget within 22 days of the formation of new PDP-BJP Government. For next year’s budget, the previous Government had completed majority of exercise by December and was scheduled to present budget on January 22.
However, the Legislature session that was due to start on January 18 with the address of Governor NN Vohra to joint session of the Legislature was deferred following the death of then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7 as the Council of Ministry ceased to exist and new Government was not formed.
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