Jammu, Mar 2: With the annual Plan allocation from the Centre nowhere in sight, Jammu and Kashmir government is likely to table a `Tentative Budget’ in the state legislature during the ongoing Budget Session. The Government would formulate the 2010-11 budget proposals based on the projections from the previous year’s budget, sources said.
The State Cabinet, which met here this evening under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, discussed various aspects of the Budget that is to be presented in the State Legislature on March 12, official sources said adding, that the budget has been given nod by the cabinet.
However, sources said the government is not in a position to table a full-fledged budget in view of the fact that the state’s annual plan allocation was yet to be decided by the Planning Commission of India. “The state has already presented its projections and demand of funds before the Planning Commission of India but the final meeting could not be held due to the delay in tabling the 13th Finance Commission report in the Parliament”, sources, preferring not to be named told Greater Kashmir.
They said that the state finance and planning department has decided to go ahead with the `Tentative Budget’ with 10 percent increase in the last fiscal plan size.
The Planning Commission of India has conveyed to the State Government that it was not in a position to fix JK’s annual plan allocation before March 12, sources said adding that the government was left with no alternative but to formulate a tentative budget.
“A provision for reallocation will be kept in each sector so that in case the state receives more than 10 per cent increase in the annual plan allocation the money can be allocated to the concerned sectors”. Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather presented a detailed note before the cabinet on the budgetary proposals to be tabled in the House.
The state cabinet has also given its nod to the Bills
proposing setting up of State Vigilance Commission and amendment in the existing Accountability Commission Act. Sources revealed that the State Vigilance Commission has been proposed to specifically deal with the corruption cases against the government employees thus limiting the scope of State Accountability Commission, which will deal only with cases involving elected representatives.
Sources said the cabinet also gave its nod to the bill of law department seeking amendment of Jammu and Kashmir Minister’s Salaries Act, 1956 to be tabled before the state legislative assembly during the ongoing session.
As per the amendment the government is hiking the salary of the legislators and pension of ex-legislators of the state. As per the bill, the chief minister would be entitled to receive a salary of Rs 70,000 per month while a cabinet minister will be entitled to receive Rs 65000 per month.
Rs 61,000 has been fixed for the junior ministers (MoS), while MLAs and MLCs will get Rs 60,000 per month. The bill also provides for enhancement of pension to the ex-legislators from Rs 12000 to Rs 18000 per month.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 2 Mar 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 2 Mar 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 3 Mar 2010 00:00:00 IST