Oppn slams Govt, calls budget as jugglery of words

Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, May 31: Opposition parties today slammed Finance Minister, Haseeb Drabu, for Budget proposals of 2016-17 and called it jugglery of words.
Congress Legislature Party leader, Nawang Rigzin Jora while taking part in general discussion on the budget in the Legislative Assembly today said that the budget presented by the Finance Minister is an “insult to former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed than a tribute as was said by Drabu.”
Jora said that the budget is merely a statement of the restructuring of the accounts. “This could as well have been an accountant’s budget or a Munim’s budget. Where is the economist Drabu in this budget? Large part of the budget speech was devoted to how we have made a transition from plan/non- plan expenditure to revenue expenditure and capital expenditure accounting, developmental and non developmental finance; streamlining of the GPF funds; problems of cash and liquidity,” he said.
The Congress leader quoted Drabu from his last year’s speech where he said: “I shall not go to Delhi with a begging bowl. By doing so, I hope to restore the dignity of the people who are forever being accused of surviving on subsidies and largesse.”  Jora questioned when State revenue estimates from tax and non tax is estimated to be a mere Rs 13000 cr for budget expenditure of Rs 64,669 crores there is no escape from dependence on the Govt of India.
Jora said the fact remains that despite assertion of the Finance Minister of economic self- reliance and financial autonomy, the State’s public spending will continue to be driven by Central transfer. “This dependence doesn’t constitute begging, it is our right as a hilly State with its associate developmental disabilities. The sooner the Finance Minister realizes and recognize this fact, the better it will be for the finance of the State. Rather than wallowing in a delusional world of self- deception, it will do a world of good for the fiscal health of the State if Drabu comes out of his fairy-tale world and becomes pragmatic and practical,” he said.
The Congress leader pointed out that the Finance Minister missed out on great opportunity of introducing gender budgeting when State had first woman Chief Minister.
Jora said the need of the hour is to use a sizeable chunk of the Prime Minister’s Development fund for power generation. “The State must insist that Rs 25000 cr out of PMDP fund be given to fully fund Bursar, Pakadul and Rattle power projects; each of this would be 1000 MW capacity. This will be a transformational initiative”, said Jora.
“This budget is not a budget of Haseeb Drabu, the economist; it is the budget of the Munim and the Accountant in Haseeb Drabu,” said Congress leader. He said that budget is not merely a bundle of numbers and statistics, it is bundle of our aspiration and values.
Jora regretted that the budget levies additional 5% tax on aviation fuel which will cause the already exorbitant airfare to go further up rendering our State less affordable and expensive destination for an average tourist. He accused the Finance Minister of doing great disservice to the tourism industry of the State. He also accused Finance Minister of completely ignoring Ladakh region as there was nothing Ladakh specific in this budget.
NC MLA Devender Singh Rana cautioned Drabu of not falling in the trap and endorsing GST to placate his masters in Delhi. “Since our Finance Minister is making us believe to be the champion of Kashmir, Kashmiriyat and its special entity, let he not become an instrument to trample the special identify of the State”, he said.
The NC MLA took strong exception to the Government’s intentions on the implementation of 7th Pay Commission Report and said Government will have to implement the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission simultaneously when the Central Government employees will get its benefits.
Rana also tore into the budget proposals saying it was just a jugglery of words. “The issue of PF and investigation cost for police was just a diversionary tactic. If the focus of the House would have been on the budget, there is nothing in it.
He said that the Finance Minister believed that the Provident Fund was a ‘Ponzi game’, why did he put the Dearness Allowance installment of the employees in this fund. “May be the previous Finance Minister made a mistake due to ignorance but last year you put the DA installment into the provident fund account of the employees when you knew that it is a Ponzi. That is a crime,” he said.
The MLA also expressed concern over delay in regularization of different categories of casual workers, especially in the Public Health Engineering Department, saying that the model worked out by the Omar Abdullah led Government in this regard could not be implemented due to observance of Model Code of Conduct in 2014.
Welcoming the promise of fiscal autonomy to Universities in Jammu and Kashmir, Rana said that the Government must also ensure administrative autonomy of the varsities, pointing out that some of his BJP colleagues were scheming to oust the Vice Chancellor of Jammu University.
Rana said that if Drabu knew that Rs 3000-4000 crore were lying idle, why he not took appropriate action for efficient fiscal management.  He also opposed levying of additional taxes, especially on the readymade garments and day to day use commodities.
Rana questioned levying of 14.5 per cent VAT, saying this is cruel even as the sales tax collections last year have increased significantly from targeted Rs 5744 crore to Rs 5985 crores. He said the Finance Minister should not keep his ears shut to the outcry of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries in both the provinces of the State.
The MLA took strong exception to the misleading announcement of the Government regarding free education to girls upto 12th class in the Government schools, saying they were, in fact, never charged any fee. He asked the Education Minister to clarify over the issue and it created commotion in the House.
However, Minister of State for Education Priya Sethi replied that the education for girl child in schools is completely free. “It was not free as minimal fee was charged from the students. From yesterday (Monday), it is now completely free,” she informed the House.
Rana questioned the rationale of creating a Water Resources Department with additional allocation of Rs 2 cores and wondered what happened to the Dal Development Bonds, promised by the Finance Minister in his last year’s budget.
The MLA expressed concern over ignoring the crucial agriculture sector and leaving the flood sufferers in lurch. He questioned the rationale in bringing down the relief package of Rs 45,000 crores submitted by the Omar led Government to the Centre to just Rs 1197 crore. He also castigated the government for reduced recommendations about compensation to PoK refugees, saying that against a projected Rs 9096 crores, the State is settling for meager Rs 2000 crores, which is also nowhere to be seen.
Earlier, initiating the discussion, Mohammad Shafi appreciated the Government’s move of rationalization in State’s Annual Budget, adding that rationalization of tax system is a positive step. He said that the budget has many good initiatives but more focus should have been given to areas like health, education and social welfare.
However, Uri’s speech was more focused on politics than on Budget. He said that first priority should be that the peace must be restored to the troubled State and then only development will come. He said that India and Pakistan must sit across the table and resolve the Kashmir issue and aspiration of the people of the State have to be accommodated for return of peace to the State. He stressed for restoration of autonomy to the State.
The BJP MLA and its State president, Sat Paul Sharma congratulated the Government for presenting a comprehensive budget. He said that the Finance Minister has successfully incorporated late Mufti Sayeed’s vision of corruption-free State in his budget. It is for the first time that the points raised in CAG report have been considered in the budget, he added. He said that previously people had to wait for months to get their General Provident Fund, but now they can get it with the click of a button.
Sharma demanded increase in the amount for the funds allotted to develop young entrepreneurs. He said the amount should be increased up to Rs 20 crores with 10 crores each for both Jammu and Kashmir provinces to give a boost to young entrepreneurship in the State. Similarly Journalist Welfare Fund should also be enhanced from Rupees two to five crores, he further added.
Apart from requesting to provide better vehicles to police, Sharma also requested the Government to exempt tax imposed on Dhabas and Eateries.
Engineer Abdul Rashid while appreciating the budget said that Government should be lauded for waiving off school fee of girls upto higher secondary level besides allocating funds for establishment of Food Testing laboratory. He demanded enhancement of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to Rs five crore and hike in salaries of Legislators. He also pleaded to develop Bungus valley as a tourist destination, and ban on the sale of alcohol.
MLA Rajiv Jasrotia said that the budget is sincere and honest effort to get the State out of present economic turmoil. He said that the budget is aimed to weed out corruption from the system and society, and it talks about the marginalized and neglected section of the society. He said that the Government aims for speedy implementation of PM’s developmental programmes, including women empowerment, release of Dearness Allowance from January 2016.
MLA Choudhary Qamar Hussain said the budget is a relief to people as it addresses the issues for which they voted the Government. He said the Government has done commendable job by focusing on development of industry sector. He lauded the budget for proposing 30 units of free power to BPL families.
While demanding upgradation of electricity transmission in far flung areas Hussain said there are many villages where the high tension wires are still tied with the trees. He also demanded increase of Journalist Welfare Fund to Rs six crore and establishment of press clubs in each district.
Independent MLA Hakim Mohammad Yaseen said that the budget has a scope for improvement. He demanded for earmarking of funds for Doodhpathri and Yusmarg Development Authorities, besides, development of Tosamaidan. He also urged enhancement of CDF.

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