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| Centre should monitor utilisation of funds in J&K | | | Now that Chief Minister,Mufti Mohd.
Sayeed, has urged the central Govern
ment to haten the process of sanctioning financial package for Jammu and Kashmir state clearly indicates that the state cannot survive without liberal financial assistance from the Government of India.This absolute dependence on the central funds negates the assertion of the Finance Minister,Haseeb Drabu,who had declared a few months ago that he would not be visiting New Delhi with a begging bowl.
Not only Jammu and Kashmir but other states too bank on central financial assistance and the developed state like Punjab had to seek additional funds from the centre.
At one stage the coalition Government of SAD and the BJP,was on the verge of rupture but the recent announcement of a heavy financial package has brought smiles to the ruling Akali Dal leaders thereby cementing the relations between the Akali Dal and the BJP.But there is a big difference on the level of dependence of Jammu and Kashmir on central funds and the dependence of other states on the financial package from the Government of India.While over 80 per cent of the plan and non-plan programmes banked on central funds in other states the dependence ranges between 30 and 50 per cent.
The massive damage caused to the Government and private infrastructure because of floods and landslides that hit the state last September.And for the reconstruction of the damaged infrastructure the state needs heavy financial support from the Government of India.
Besides this the state could achieve some sort of financial strength if it is able to tide over acute shortage of electricity.
The state abounds in rivers and lakes which could generate about 20,000 MWs of electricity but owing to fiscal stringency the state has not been able to generate optimum electricity.It is for these two sectors that the state needs heavy financial package from the Government of India.It is in this connection that the state has been assured of heavy financial package.Major portion of the developmental package that Prime Minister, Narendra Modi is likely to announce on July 17 during his visit to the state would be spent on hydel power and road projects.
The state Government has requested the Central government to provide over Rs 37,000 crores for tapping of hydel potential in the state. Rs 3000 crores will be earmarked for rebuilding of houses damaged during last year's floods.
However it was unlikely that the Central government will relax the disaster relief fund norms to provide over Rs 8-10 lakh for each house that was damaged in the September 2014 floods as was envisaged in the relief package sent by former NC-Congress government to the Centre.
The government has projected to the Centre the vast hydel potential that could be tapped. "It has estimated that there is a potential to develop 20,000 MWs of hydel power in the state." Currently the installed capacity in the State including that of the thermal and hydel power projects is 969.96 MWs. It includes 208 MWs thermal and 761.96 MWs hydel projects.
The centre has to ensure that the quantum of funds it grants to Jammu and Kashmir is utilised properly.The state of Jammu and Kahsmir has a tradition of misusing or swindling central Government funds. Funds sanctioned for centrally sponsored schemes too have not been properly utilised and that has been the reason for inordinate delay in the submission of the utilisation reports.Hence there is need for the central Government to monitor utilisation of funds. |
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