Jammu, Mar 2: J&K government is making last ditch effort to persuade centre to release the funds in one go under the next year’s annual plan on the plea to avoid delay in completion of development works undertaken in the state. It is also securing 10 percent increase in the plan outlay and third extension to PMRP which has already been extended twice.
 Sources  said with large number of bills still pending in the government treasuries across the state due to the paucity of the funds, government has launched all out efforts to convince Union Finance Ministry to release the entire amount in one go.
 “We are demanding that central assistance under the plan out lay and the fund allocations against Prime Ministers Reconstruction Plan (PMRP) should be released  in one go to avoid  resource crisis experienced in the process of releasing the  funds in the instalments”, an officer in the state finance ministry  told Greater Kashmir on condition of anonymity.
 He said since the long intervals in the release of funds, coupled with the summer unrest greatly affected the development works during the ongoing financial year, the state government wishes to secure one time release of entire allocations to ensure that the tempo of the developmental activities don not suffer in the state, particularly in the areas which have limited working season.
 The sources said that the government is also lobbying for 10 per cent increase in this years budget to keep up the pace of development which has suffered in absence of adequate funds.
 If the projection of 10 per cent hike is accepted by the planning commission, the plan outlay for the next fiscal would be Rs 6600 crore against this year’s Rs 6000 crore.
 “Though the final decision would be taken by the Planning Commission we are hopeful of getting at least 10 per cent increase in the annual plan plus another extension of PMRP for the year 2011-12”, said an official.
 The preliminary rounds of the official level meetings between the State Government and the Planning Commission have already been held in which the State had presented comprehensive details of its requirements before the Commission for next financial year. For the current financial year, the State was granted Rs 7206 crore under annual plan which included Rs 1206 crore under PMRP.
 Jammu and Kashmir’s annual budget for the 2011-2012 fiscal will be presented to the state assembly for approval on March 7.
 Sources said that another major concern for the state is the rising energy demands which is eating away major portion of the financial plan. “Energy demand has grown by 78 percent, while power generation-supply growth was only 48 percent and this year’s budget has to be taken care of it too”, said the official.
 The state imports power from the northern grid and has to pay more than Rs.1, 000 crore every year to keep the supply going. 

Lastupdate on : Wed, 2 Mar 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 2 Mar 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 3 Mar 2011 00:00:00 IST