Hectic exercise on to finalize proposals
Can be passed without Parl approval under Guv Rule
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 3: In a major decision, the Governor’s Administration is gearing up to present full budget for the financial year 2019-20 well before December 19, the day when Governor’s Rule will expire in the State and President’s rule will be imposed for next six months, to ensure that the budget is passed by the State Administrative Council (SAC) itself and there is no need to send it to the Parliament.
Top official sources told the Excelsior that the Governor’s Administration is working vigorously to finalize the budget proposals for approval by the SAC headed by Governor Satya Pal Malik before December 19. Authorities were confident that the budget would be ready ahead of expiry of the Governor’s rule and passed before imposition of the President’s rule in the State on December 20.
“We are on the job. Hectic exercise is being carried out on daily basis. Hopefully, we will meet the deadline of December 19, which will ensure that we don’t have to wait for approval of the budget by Parliament, whose functioning is already doubtful in view of upcoming Lok Sabha elections as the Opposition is determined to paralyze proceedings of both the Houses, like the previous couple of sessions,’’ sources said.
As per Jammu and Kashmir’s Constitution, Governor’s Rule is imposed for first six months after fall of democratically elected Government while the President’s Rule is followed thereafter.
“When there is President’s Rule in the State, the powers for approval of the budget which lies with the Governor during Governor’s Rule, shifts to the Parliament. The budget had to be introduced and passed by both Houses i.e. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha,’’ sources said, adding that there was no clarity on functioning of the Parliament and in view of this, the Government was likely to approve the budget during the spell of Governor’s Rule.
On why the State Government was not going for Vote-on-Account to leave presentation of budget to the new Government (if it is formed by April-May when the Assembly elections are proposed to be held with Parliamentary polls) in the month of June, sources said there was no fun of Vote-on-Account since the Government is aware of all resources they are going to get from the Central Government.
“When we know what we will get in the financial year 2019-20 from the Central Government, NITI Aayog, the Finance Ministry and all other concerned Departments, there was no need left for taking Vote-on-Account and, therefore, the Governor’s Administration is likely to go for presentation of full budget,’’ sources said, adding that the Finance Department was working day and night to prepare the budget for its approval before December 19.
The budget, according to sources, will be advanced hardly by 20 days.
The budget for financial year of 2018-19 was presented by former Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu on January 11 this year in the Legislature. The budget for 2019-20 is likely to be advanced by a little about 20 days and passed before December 19, sources asserted.
The State Government mainly the Finance Department has been conducting extensive exercise by holding Department wise meetings and staying in touch with the concerned Central Government Departments to finalize the budget, which has to be passed by the State Administrative Council (SAC), sources said.
They pointed out that the Central Government was also likely to present the budget for the financial year of 2019-20 in the month of January as the Election Commission of India was likely to impose Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha elections anytime in the month of February.
Then Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu had presented the budget proposals for 2018-19 in the House, comprising a revenue component of Rs 51,244.72 crore and capital component of Rs 44,422.24 crore, on January 11, 2018.
Enumerating the fiscal reforms factored in the Appropriation Bill, Drabu had said the Finance and the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department (PDMD) would release both revenue and capital budget to all the departments within two weeks of the passage of the Appropriation bill.
The Administrative Departments would, in turn, had ensured release of funds to the subordinate offices within four weeks of their receipt.
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