Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 29: Top brass of the State Government was engaged in hectic efforts for release of pending amount of Jammu and Kashmir with the Centre Government with just two days left for completion of the financial year.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who was camping in New Delhi, has also taken up the issue with Finance Minister P Chidambaram for release of pending funds of the State with the Centre in different sectors.
The Government was confident that if not full at least some part of the funds would be released in the next two days of the financial year to help the State clear payments for the developmental works executed in various sectors.
Omar had said in the Assembly on March 24 during debate on the grants of his Departments that Rs 1400 crores of the State were pending with the Centre with just few days left for completion of the financial year of 2012-13. He had said that he would take up the issue with the Union Finance Minister on his return from South Africa.
According to sources here, Omar took up the matter with Mr Chidambaram after which the Union Finance Ministry officials got in touch with Planning and Finance officials of the State on release of held-up funds.
Sources said the funds in three sectors including Special Central Assistance, Special Plan Assistance and Prime Minister’s Re-construction Plan were pending with the Centre. In addition, a part of the annual plan amount was also awaited.
“We are hopeful that at least some funds would flow in the next two days so that the works undertaken in three sectors during the current financial year are completed. However, if the funds were not released, the Government would try to get them re-validated for the next financial year”, they added.
Sources said if the funds in all sectors were taken into account they would be more than Rs 1400 crores.
They pointed out that Jammu and Kashmir was not the only State, whose funds in various sectors were held up with the Government of India with just few days left for the completion of 2012-13 financial year but there were several States, whose funds hadn’t been released till date.
Representatives of various States were either camping in New Delhi or had taken up the matter with the Union Finance Minister telephonically seeking release of the funds.
“Various States were facing crisis like the one witnessed by Jammu and Kashmir”, sources said.
They pointed out that while the funds under Prime Minister’s Re-construction Plan would automatically gets re-validated to next financial year, the major problem pertained in Special Central Assistance, Special Plan Assistance and annual plan, whose funds, if not released in the next two days, would lapse unless re-validated by the Centre.
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