SUMIT HAKHOO
Jammu, Dec 30: With the state’s salary bill crossing a whopping Rs 14500 crore mark, Planning Commission of India (PCI) has asked the Jammu and Kashmir government to put curbs on the mounting expenditure, especially the wage bill.
 The issue is likely to be discussed in the second meeting of the state government officials in New Delhi as part of the Working Group (WG) meeting with the Planning Commission members to be held in January to discuss the next year’s plan proposal.
 Sources said with the state government having started the regularization process of contractual and adhoc employees in various departments, the wage bill is likely to increase further and the centre has pointed out that it will affect other priority and infrastructure sectors in the absence of required finances.
 “At the moment we are solely dependent upon the Central Government to meet our wage and power expenditure bills, but there is a limit on the charity shown by the centre”, said source in the Planning Department.
 The source said that with the expenditure on the wages and other benefits reaching the highest ever in the state, Planning Commission has expressed its reservations over the huge burden on the state’s annual plan. They have pointed out that expenditure on meeting the monthly wages of nearly 5 lakh government employees is much higher than the more populated states of the country.
 Officials said that though a formal decision on projection of next fiscal year's plan was yet to be taken by the cabinet, J&K is expected to seek Rs 7300 crore worth annual plan for 2011-12, indicating a 10 percent hike over current year's plan. This year the state had got Rs 6600 crore plan.
 “It demands starting austerity measures, but the past experiences have shown that none of the steps have been implemented properly. Most of the budget is consumed by the wages and power bills”, officials said.
 When contacted Finance Minister AR Rather said that mounting wage bill is a matter of concern. He said the state government’s endeavor is to divert the youth towards self-employment avenues. “We have already discussed it with PCI and several schemes have been launched in the state in this regard,” Rather said.
 Having faced wrath over tardy implementation of the centrally sponsored schemes, Planning Commission has directed the state to prepare separate sub-plans for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) population to ensure transparency in release of funds.
 The Central Government has also expressed its reservations over the poor implementation of rural water supply and road communication schemes in the state.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 30 Dec 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 31 Dec 2011 00:00:00 IST