Discussions on proposals in Jammu from November 7

Sahil Rasgotra. Updated: 9/24/2017 1:55:04 AM Front Page

Annual Budget 2017-18

JAMMU: The state government is all set to hold discussions on the proposals for all important annual budget 2018-19 under the new tax regime from 7th of November in the winter capital Jammu, a month before the its target of accomplishing the process of budget preparation by 2nd week of December.
The state government which three days earlier had fixed a deadline of October 10 for all the administrative departments to submit their estimates and recommendations to the Finance department, on Saturday informed that it will hold the discussions on such proposals from November 7 to November 17 in finance department, while endorsing the detailed schedule for discussions to be had over the span of 11 days in Jammu.
In an official order, the government instructed the administrative departments to furnish Budget proposals to Finance Department in soft form- a new initiative to go paperless by making it mandatory for all department to file proposals online through 'Budget Estimation, Allocation and Management System' (BEANS) only- before the scheduled date.
However, it asserted that any other information may be submitted in hard form, while emphasizing on making all necessary preparations for the 'conduct of meaningful discussions'.
That the government is not willing to compromise on delaying the budget presentation in state legislative assembly- which it wants to do in first week of January, 2018-can be read through the strict instructions to departments to adhere to the scheduled discussions without asking for any change in that or rescheduling their budget meeting.
Speaking of the schedule, on the first day, discussions would be held on agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, cooperative, animal and sheep husbandry besides fisheries, whereas rural development & PR, revenue, disaster management, relief, rehabilitation & reconstruction and public works (R&B) would take the centre stage on second day.
The budget proposals concerning irrigation & flood control, PHE, school, higher and technical education, youth services & sports and NCC would be highlights of day three, while lesser but important heads like home, parliamentary affairs and law & justice would occupy the officials on day four before the two days break kicks in on 10th November.
The discussion would resume on November 13 with industries & commerce, social welfare and tribal affairs being discussed while general administration, science & technology, power development and housing & urban development, forest and finance making the highlights on discussion on November 14 and 15, respectively.
The second last day would see debate on transport and food, civil supplies & consumer affairs department's proposals whereas maximum heads would be discussed on last day of the schedule including planning, development & monitoring, ladakh affairs, information, estates, H&P, tourism, culture, labour & employment, stationery & office supplies, health & medical education and SKIMS.
The government also sought the Action Taken Reports on the Budget Announcements besides complete details on Establishment Budget, while instructing the departments to call only those officers to participate in discussions as are felt absolutely necessary.
As the discussions would be held in Jammu, those departmental heads in Kashmir and Ladakh would be participating through video conferencing.
It is pertinent to mention that the upcoming budget would be significant in multiple ways, with government already undertaken number of restructuring initiative in the state budget formulation aimed at improving transparency of budget and enhancing monitoring of state expenditure.
Focusing significantly on the reorganization of 'Demand for Grant', the state government had on 8 September asked the Finance Department to consolidate the 'Demand for Grants' of various departments into five major categories like Administrative Service, Social Service, Infrastructure Service, Economic Service and Financial Service, so as to make the budget document accessible to legislators, besides making to them visible the expenditure policy of the State Government.
"Because Demands for Grants are administratively decided, the Legislators don't get a sense of grants in the House. In many cases, demands of MLAs are not even backed by the Expenditure Allocation," he had said.
"This will add to transparency to the system as well as ensure a richer debate on public spending and priorities of the Government," the Finance Minister added.
The move follows two major reforms carried out earlier by the Finance Department including abolition of Plan-Non Plan expenditure system and introduction of Revenue-Capital Budgeting.
Earlier, on 20 September the government while asserting that it contemplates to accomplish the process of budget preparation 2018-19 by 2nd week of December, 2017, asked various administrative departments /HoDs to start Budget preparation exercise and submit the estimates and recommendations to Finance department within 20 days.
Finance Minister around two weeks ago had asserted that the government is trying to do away with publishing truckloads of Budget-related documents and instead make it easily accessible online.
Taking strong notice of huge variations in the actual expenditure of the preceding year as shown by the departments and the numbers as shown by the Accountant General (A&E) J&K in the annual finance account of that year, the government has instructed the departments to reflect only the correct and duly reconciled expenditure in their submissions.
Earlier on September 8, the government had set up a High-Level Committee to be headed by the Principal Secretary Finance, Navin Kumar Choudhary and comprising of member of the J&K Legislature's Estimates Committee, Law Secretary, Abdul Majid Bhat, Accountant General (A&E), Shourjo Chatterjee and Director Budget, Imtiyaz Ahmad.
"The Committee will examine legal and procedural inputs for Reorganization of Demands and submit its report within 10 days. Post GST, the State as well as the Centre's budget has to undergo substantial changes. The reorganization will improve transparency of budget and enhance monitoring," Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu had said.


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