Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 28: The Central Government has released Rs 800 crores more under Special Plan Assistance (SPA) to Jammu and Kashmir taking total SPA to Rs 1900 crores while remaining Rs 164 crores were expected to be released in the next couple of days but there has been shortfall under Centrally Sponsored Schemes including flagship programmes though it might be covered to some extent in remaining three days of the current financial year of 2014-15.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Centre has released Rs 800 crores worth SPA for the State taking total amount under this category to Rs 1900 crores. The total sanctioned amount under SPA for 2014-15 was Rs 2064 crores. With the release of Rs 800 crores, only Rs 164 crores SPA was pending with the Centre, which too was expected to be released in next couple of days before the current financial year closes.
“We will be receiving full amount of Rs 2064 crores SPA by the end of financial year i.e. March 31,” sources said.
Release of the SPA had become major problem for the State Government. Only after Governor NN Vohra took up the release of SPA with top Central leaders during the Governor’s rule including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley that the Centre had released Rs 170 crores in February.
Another Rs 800 crores have been released after the meeting of Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu with Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
“It will be a major boost for developmental works undertaken under the SPA,” sources said.
However, they added that there has been shortfall in the plan amount and Centrally Sponsored Schemes till date. Though the Government was expecting release of nearly 90 per cent amount under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes in the next three days, the plan amount and Prime Minister’s Re-construction Plan (PMRP) might remain pending to large extent.
The State had projected Rs 4000 crores under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes and it was hopeful that by the end of financial year it would be able to get amount somewhere around Rs 3500 crores to Rs 3700 crores. However, what was disturbing for the State was withholding of funds under Prime Minister’s Re-construction Plan (PMRP) in which the State has only received Rs 45 crores as against Rs 600 crores projected for current financial year.
According to sources, out of Rs 24395 crores worth total funding sought by Jammu and Kashmir for 2014-15, the State has so far received Rs 18,598 crores and it was expecting release of more funds in remaining three days as amount under several components is released during last two days of the financial year.
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 in remaining three days of current financial year under Plan, SPA, 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 plan 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 replied by the Finance and Planning and Development Departments of the State Government, leading to release of funds.
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