Jammu, Mar 21: Jammu and Kashmir is likely to get a formal approval of its annual plan outlay from the Planning Commission (PC) in the second week of April.
Sources said that the ini¬tial department-wise meetings between the state and the Planning Commission officials are likely to commence immedi¬ately after the conclusion of ongoing budget session in the state Assembly which will be followed by a formal meeting between a high level team of the state Government with Deputy Chairman PC in the second week of April.
The state Government has already projected an outlay of Rs 6600 crore for next fiscal, 10 per cent hike on the previous allocation.
Though so far dates have not been finalized when the meeting will be held, but the meetings between the state government representatives and the officials in PC would start from first week of April. “We are waiting for the Assembly session to conclude after which officials will sit and discuss the points to be taken up with the Centre. Most probably we will get slot for second week of April,” said an official.
Sources said that state needed at least one week to complete its homework to attend the gruelling sessions with the PC.
“Lot of questions will be raised on our projections during these meetings and we have to remain prepared for them. There is no way to neglect any point otherwise funds get blocked as has happened many times in the past,” said the official.
Officials said that first there will be series of meeting with the Working Groups (WG) of Planning Commission to dwell on various projections made by different departments to meet their requirements and take up various projects. Later the final meeting will be headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to get final approval to the plan outlay.
The Finance Minister presented the Rs 6600 crore budget on March 7, having a 10 per cent increase from the previous year’s budget. “It has been formulated on the guidelines of the Planning Commission as they had asked us to have 10 per cent increase this year. Our projections are based on the needs of various sectors and the developmental schemes initiated by the Government,” said an official.
Sources asserted that state’s next year’s plan outlay is a realistic projection based on the pattern adopted by Planning Commission.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 21 Mar 2011 21:30:00 Mecca time
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