Jammu, Apr 12: Terming the recent statement of the former Deputy Chief Minister and PDP leader, Muzaffar Hussain Baig on the CAG report as “uncalled for”, the official spokesman on Thursday said “inferences” drawn by him out of Report were totally “off the track.” 
 “It is well known to all the persons connected with the financial management of the government, especially to the members of the Legislature that CAG Report is thoroughly examined by the Standing House Committees viz. Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Public Undertakings Committee (PUC). A detailed examination takes place in presence of the Accountant General. The concerned Administrative Secretaries and senior representatives of the Finance Department are present in all such sittings of the PAC and PUC as witnesses to be cross-examined by the Members of the House Committee. The Committees thereafter, draw their final conclusions and make appropriate recommendations for further action,” the spokesman said.
  He said this procedural aspect should be well known to Baig as he has remained State’s Finance Minister for a few years. “During his time also no occasion arose to discuss the report of the CAG in the Legislative Assembly immediately after its presentation in the House. The members of the main opposition party PDP, including Baig did not raise the issue or sought time for discussion on the CAG’s Report after the same was laid by the Finance Minister before the House,” he said. “Therefore, his allegation that the government wanted to avoid any discussion on the report is purely an after thought and a ploy to create sensation among the people. The fact is that the report is the property of the House and any member can raise any point pertaining to the same in any subsequent session of the Legislature, if he so likes.”
 The spokesman refuted the allegation concerning financial controls exercised by the government. “There is a well established constitutional procedure for presentation, passing and the release of budgetary provisions. At the time of incurring expenditure, it is mandatory on the part of the executive to follow the procedure laid down for dealing with the excesses and under utilization of allocations to meet the technical needs,” he added.
 “The revised estimates are prepared for seeking approval of the Legislature through re-appropriation accounts. This practice has been always followed in the past. This was being done even during the time when Baig was Finance Minister. The budget manual prescribes for seeking fresh approval of the Legislature if the funds are reallocated from one Demand for Grants to another or from ‘capital account’ to ‘revenue account’ or vice versa,” he said.
 “Certain figures have been thrown up by Baig which are imaginary. For example, to salary expenditure figure of over `13,000 crore for the year 2010-11 to which the current CAG report pertains. Actual salary expenditure projected in the budget estimates was only ` 8,200 crore which was subsequently reported at ` 8,111 crore in the revised estimates. The actual expenditure figure given by CAG is quite near to both these estimated figures,” he said. “Baig’s assertion that the money saved out of salary and because of under utilization of funds under Central Schemes and other plan programs should have been utilized for employing two lakh additional persons and for payment of arrears of pay revision is beyond any comments.”
 The statement of Baig, the spokesman said, appears to be reflective of his “frustration” and that of the opposition party to which he belongs, after the State Budget met with wide ranging appreciation within and outside the House.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:00:00 IST