Budget Announcements vs Reality
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU: A number of announcements made and assurances held out by Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu in the budget 2015-16 presented by him in the Legislative Assembly on March 22 followed by his reply to the budget debate have remained on papers only so far and were yet to be converted into reality.
A recap of Drabu’s budget speech and reply revealed that the Finance Minister, who was gearing up to present his second budget in the next 25 days, was no way near to implement tall promises he had made to the people while presenting his maiden budget.
Several promises made in the budget have come out a cropper. Be they the introduction of new Industrial Policy and White Paper on about Rs 9000 crores worth liabilities left by the previous National Conference-Congress Government, there has been zero progress on the ground.
Official sources confirmed to the Excelsior that the much hyped White Paper on financial position of the State was nowhere in the sight even when Drabu was going to present next budget in the few days.
While replying to debate on the budget, he had promised White Paper on the finances including about Rs 9000 crores worth liabilities left by previous Government.
Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Rigzin Jora, former Minister, was of the view that Drabu ran away from the idea of coming out with White Paper when he demanded that it should cover his period from 2002 to 2008 as the Economic Advisor. Drabu was Economic Advisor to the Government for entire period of PDP-Congress Government from 2002 to 2008.
Jora explained that Drabu didn’t spend even single penny out of Rs 3900 crores worth power reforms grant given by the then UPA Government on power sector and diverted entire amount for other expenditure. Jora had been the Power Minister in that Government.
The Centre during Ghulam Nabi Azad regime from 2005 to 2008 had given Rs 1300 crores grant per annum for three years to J&K Government. Jora said this entire grant was diverted and not a penny was spent on power.
“We welcomed the idea of White Paper. But it was Drabu, who shied away when I pointed out glaring example of diverting the power reforms grant,’’ Jora said.
It was not only the White Paper that has remained on papers only. Similar was the case with Industrial Policy.
In his budget speech, Drabu had announced that new Industrial Policy will be in place by July 1, 2015. However, till date the Industrial Policy was nowhere in sight.
Though the Industries Department claimed that it was on the job and new Industrial Policy will be out shortly, the major budget announcement made by the Finance Minister on the floor of the House has not been implemented so far.
“Not only the Finance Ministry, Industries and Commerce Minister Chander Prakash Ganga has also been making only tall claims of coming out with the Industrial Policy, giving deadlines after deadlines, but has failed to come out with it,’’ sources said, adding in the absence of any Industrial Policy, the State was suffering.
Sources pointed out that virtually no new industry is coming to Jammu and Kashmir due to failure of not only the Finance Minister but the Industries Minister as well, which has forced unemployed youth of Jammu and Kashmir to shift to other States in search of job opportunities.
“Creating conditions for youth in private sector with emoluments worth Rs 8 crores or Rs 9 crores package per annum,’’ was the tall slogan given by Haseeb Drabu in his post-budget press conference so that they didn’t have to look for private jobs.
However, sources said, it remained a mere slogan on the papers and no efforts were made either by the Finance or by the Industries and Commerce Ministries to bring industries to Jammu and Kashmir to provide employment to the youth, who were either dependent on few jobs advertised by the State Government or had to shift outside the State.
Beginning today, we are launching a series on the announcements made and promises held out by the Ministers while seeking approval of the Assembly to their Demand for Grants during Budget Session-2015. The series will assess the assurances and tell the readers how much of them have been fulfilled and how many were only on the papers.
—Editor
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