ADVANTAGE EARLY BUDGET: DDB meets take off from CM’s distt

LOGS to be adopted as the new mode of governance: Drabu

JAMMU: In second major follow up to the advanced budget –presented in January instead of February or March –the government has kick-started District Development Boards with Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu himself taking the lead.
Soon after conclusion of budget session earlier this month, the Finance Department had released 50 percent of the budgetary allocations to the districts for taking up the plan works. The funds have been released with effect from February 10.
In next major step, the District Development Board meetings have also
taken off. The first meeting was held today in Anantnag, the home district of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, where the Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu is the chairman of the board.
Addressing the meeting, Drabu said that effective governance is thrust of the present dispensation and the coalition Government has taken many developmental initiatives for the overall development of the State. During the meeting, Rs 206.24 crore annual plan for the
district was approved unanimously.
Dr Drabu said that Legislator Oriented Governance System (LOGS) shall be adopted as the new mode of governance in the State, for which the
beginning has been made from Anantnag district. He said the concept, shall govern the whole gamut of planning administration of the developmental projects. The DDB meeting was also attended by concerned MP, MLAs, MLCs, Vice Chairman Gujjar & Bakarwal Board, DDC Anantnag, sectoral and district officers. The DDC Anantnag briefed the meeting about the achievements made under various sectors in the district and said that against an availability of Rs 108.88 crore for year 2016-17, an expenditure of Rs 76.32 crore
was made by January 2017. He also highlighted the socio-economic
indicators of the district in terms of healthcare, education,
availability of infrastructure and the level of literacy in the
district.
On the occasion, Dr. Drabu, who is also the chairman of DDB Anantnag,
said that we need to focus on modernisation through formulation of
need-based plans at constituency level. He said that there shall be
flexibility of funding across sectors subject to the demand of
legislatures and this is the prime motive of the LOGS.
With respect to R&B sector, it was informed that in State sector,
against the construction of 8 bridges there is a liability of Rs 19.81
crore. The Chairman said that a system would be put in place wherein
funds will be released only to those projects supported by complete
DPR and said that mechanism shall be made operational from next year.
He said that Planning Department has already released 15 percent of
the budget to various departments so that execution of works shall be
taken well before onset of next fiscal. He said that expenditure
planning has to be properly managed for effective execution of
developmental projects.
Owing to the plethora of BPL survey lists of different Departments,
the Minister said that multi-departmental body shall undertake a
survey and prepare a list of BPL families which shall be provided
incentives like universal basic income and other social services.
The meeting laid stress on improving healthcare and banking
infrastructure, focusing on horticulture preferably in high-density
orchards, reviewing and resurrecting the animal and sheep husbandry
sectors and impetus to local growth economy in the district.
Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Abdul Rehman Veeri and
Minister of State for Hajj & Auqaf Syed Farooq Andrabi also attended
the meeting.