*Monitoring reports of various schemes to be part of deliberations
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 21: As the deadline fixed for submission of proposals is ending tomorrow, the Planning and Development Department will initiate sector wise discussions on Annual Plan 2015-16 from January 27 and necessary instructions have been issued to all the Administrative Departments as well as District Development Commissioners in this regard.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that the deadline fixed by the Planning and Development Department for submission of plan proposals for each sector/sub-sector for next financial year and revised estimates for the current financial year (2014-15) is ending tomorrow. This timeframe was fixed as per the advice of Governor N N Vohra, who on January 16 had directed the Principal Secretary, Planning and Development Department, B R Sharma to set into motion the process for formulation of Annual Plan 2015-16.
From January 27, the Planning and Development Department will initiate sector wise discussions and State/provincial level HoDs, who are controlling officers for the Plan Schemes and all the District Development Commissioners have been directed for attending these discussions. The entire exercise covering 22 sectors including Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils of Leh and Kargil, District Plans of Jammu and Kashmir provinces will come to end on February 2, 2015.
As process of holding discussions on Annual Plan for 2015-16 financial year has already been delayed in view of Assembly elections, the Planning and Development Department will cover three sectors every day so as to complete the process within a period of eight days, sources informed. In order to facilitate timely submission of plan proposals, the Planning and Development Department had, on the basis of tentative scheme of financing for 2014-15, already submitted sectoral plan allocation including Tied Grants, Flagship Programmes and the Centrally Sponsored Schemes.
“Keeping in view the resource base of the State, the sector-wise allocations for the next year will be assumed at current year’s level”, sources said, adding “in the proposals the departments are required to reflect anticipated expenditure for 2014-15 and any re-prioritization/diversion proposals that the department would like to seek so as to finalize the Revised Estimates for the current year”.
During the discussions, the physical achievements recorded ending December 2014, anticipated achievement for the current year together with targets proposed for 2015-16 would come up for discussion. The findings of evaluation reports, NABCON ( a wholly owned subsidiary of NABARD) and other monitoring reports on various schemes and their implementation will be part of the plan discussions.
They informed that the Planning and Development Department has already directed the departments that provision for authorized daily wagers and casual/seasonal workers should be provided for actual number working in the departments and at existing rates. “The Dearness Allowance installment for the year 2015-16 would be worked out at 10% of the basic pay”, sources added.
The level of allocation for all revenue components other than salary will be retained at current year (2014-15) level unless there will be very compelling reasons to propose a change, they said, adding the State Share for Centrally Sponsored Schemes/Tied Grants and Negotiated Loans will be the first charge on the next year’s plan and provided fully.
“The commitments made by the Planning and Development Department will be accommodated within the plan outlay for which there will be no additional provision”, sources said, adding “the departments have already been sounded that new works will be taken up only, if there are sufficient funds available at least up to 30% of the estimated cost that too after providing the required amount for ongoing schemes/projects”.
During the Plan finalization, special care would be taken to incorporate all aspects relating to gender sensitivity and gender-budgeting. Even directions have also been issued for preparation of Schedule Caste Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan. Under these plans, all the villages/blocks with 40% or above SC/ST population would be treated as basic unit of development and all the administrative departments, HoDs and DDCs will ensure that SC/ST population is provided funds at least in proportion to their population percentages and documented properly.
As Special Plan Assistance (Projectization) is one of the main components of the plan resources, the Planning Department has asked the departments and DDCs to upload the Action Plans on web based programme CAS-MIS for obtaining the release of funds.
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