GK BUSINESS REPORTER
Srinagar, May 24: Valley’s apex industrial body, the Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir today strongly suggested to the Planning Commission to “fix the plan year for J&K from January-December.”
 A two-member delegation of FCIK raised this demand in its memorandum submitted to the Planning Commission at New Delhi today.
 The PC had called a meeting to hold ‘regional consultations on the approach of 12th five year plan (2012-17).’ The consultations were held with representatives from seven states: J&K, Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Utter Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
 The FCIK delegation comprising its president Afaq Qadri and Secretary General, Nazir Ahmad Shikari submitted a paper, a copy of which is with Greater Kashmir, to the PC highlighting economic problems of J&K.
 The paper said: “The working season in the Kashmir valley is only of six months, from April to September. As the state plan allocation usually gets finalized in June we are left with a period of four months for its execution. This often results into plan funds getting lapsed or else the state government gets compelled to divert the funds from Kashmir region to other regions where the working seasons is of twelve months.”
 “To ensure the plan is finalized well before the start of working season in Kashmir region so that no funds get lapsed or diverted, we suggest the financial year for the entire J&K should fixed from Jan to Dec,” it said.
 The paper read: “In case it is not workable we suggest that a lapse fund account may be created to park the lapsed funds to be used in the next working season.”
 Giving details of the meeting Afaq told Greater Kashmir on phone from New Delhi that the federation made a number of suggestions
 “We pleaded that the salary and pension bill of the state government is far in excess of its resources and there remains no money available for the developmental works or for the maintenance of the capital assets,” Afaq said.
 He said government’s inability to release sixth pay commission arrears to its employees has put the government in a tight spot and the employees often resort to strikes which further delays the execution of developmental works.
 “With acute unemployment in the state the government is compelled to employ more and more people, which has led it to a vicious circle.”
 Afaq suggested that although downsizing the government workforce is the only long term solution, in the short and medium term, government needs central support to sustain.
 The delegation said in spite of its huge energy potential, J&K is a power deficient state and a major portion of its resources get wiped off in purchasing power from different sources at exorbitant rates.
 “Although some initiatives have been taken in the recent past, the sector needs huge investment which is beyond the capacity of the state government. As this is the sector which can make the state self reliant in the long run, the planning is requested to provide sufficient funds to the state required to harness the power potential.”

Lastupdate on : Tue, 24 May 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 24 May 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 25 May 2011 00:00:00 IST