It's a chillar budget, says Sagar

BIVEK MATHUR

JAMMU: Senior National Conference legislator, Ali Mohammad Sagar today tore apart the Finance Minister Dr Hasseb A Drabu's claim of presenting a budget of "heart and conscious" as he believed that the fourth budget of the Finance Minister was a "Chillar Budget."
"This budget has a spending share for most of the departments in between Rs 1 to 2.5 crore. So, for me, it is a Chillar Budget," Sagar said while participating in the budget discussion.
Sagar also termed the 2018-19 Budget as anti-poor, anti-youth and most "theoretical one" in the history of the State.
He said that there are over 5.5 lakh educated unemployed youth in the state and the Finance Minister has announced nothing for them.
He also charged Dr Haseeb A Drabu of compromising with the financial interests of the state while implementing the GST in Jammu and Kashmir. He said, "I had a strong belief that Mr Drabu wouldn't sell the financial autonomy of the state since he has served on various important positions in this country, but he disappointed."
The veteran NC legislator also blamed the Finance Minister for reducing the share of capital expenditure in the budget 2018-19. He said that last year also, the Finance Minister had presented a budget of around Rs 80,000 crore but the capital expenditure was fixed Rs 31, 000 crore which now has been reduced to Rs 26, 000 crore.
Hitting out at Finance Minister for his claim that it has reduced the liabilities, Sagar said, "The Finance Minister in the budget claimed that now against Rs 2.5, Rs 1 is used on development against previous practice of spending Rs 5 for a developmental work of Rs 1. Mr Drabu has done nothing to make this happen, as his government has subsumed Rs 11, 000 crore given by the central government in the state budget."
On announcement regarding the 7th Pay Commission, Sagar said that there was nothing extraordinary in announcing the benefits to employees as it was agreed last year.
He said that this government gave only 20% hike while extending the benefits of 7th pay commission to the employees while the previous NC-Congress government gave 45% hike while extending the 6th pay commission benefits.
He also took a dig at the Finance Minister for doing away with the practice of presenting the power budget.
"I have doubts that this government may present the R&B budget in the next session," Sagar said while hitting at government for presenting the Panchayat Budget for the first time.
Sagar also charged the government for the falling condition of the J&K bank and reports of backdoor appointments in the bank.
Meanwhile, Congress legislator G M Saroori called for creating a provision for construction of Sadna Tunnel and Vyloo-Sinthan Top and demanded for adequate fund allocation for the same. He urged the state government to improve Internet connectivity in remote areas.
State BJP president Sat Pal Sharma called the Budget proposals growth-oriented. He praised the provisions for improving rural industries and said this will help generate employment avenues for educated unemployed youth especially in rural areas.