Saqib Junaid
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, June 17: While Jammu and Kashmir claims to be one of the poorest states in the country, with the State's internal revenue not even enough to meet the administrative expenses, a whopping Rs 3.5 crore is drained out of the state exchequer towards the helicopter ride expenses of ministers in and outside the state, throwing austerity out of the window.
According to official details, almost all the ministers have used state chopper from March 1, 2015 to April 30, 2016. These ministers have used the state chopper from Srinagar, Jammu to N Panch, Kishtwar, Padder, Gandoh, Doda, Jammu, Billawar, Nehrupad, Udhampur, Kargil, Padam, Leh, Chanderkote, Reasi, Poonch, Kokernag besides various other places.
Official data reveals that Rs 346.33 lakh have been spent on the state chopper used by the state ministers. During this period, maintenance charges of state chopper have cost Rs 265.60 lakh, Insurance charges Rs 15.50 lakh and fuel charges 65.23 lakh.
While the State dependant on central dolls not only for socio-economic development but also to disburse salaries etc to its employees, this whopping amount has been spent on the state chopper for the ride of ministers at a time when hundreds of developmental works have been stopped due to lack of funds. The daily wagers and some employees are without salaries for months and scores of 2014 flood victims are yet to be rehabilitated.
Over the past few years, J&K ministers and legislators have been getting bonanzas despite state's financial condition showing no signs of considerable improvement.
From Rs 17000 salary in 2002, a legislator today draws Rs 85000 per month while his/her housing loan facility was some years ago increased to Rs 10 lakh from Rs five lakh and the car loan facility was hiked to Rs 5 lakh against Rs 2.5 lakh.
The Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and Travelling Allowance of legislators has gone up by 200 and 100 percent respectively since 2010.
A legislator gets Rs 1000 DA per day when he/she attends Assembly/Council during session and gets equal amount of DA for any House Committee meetings he/she attends.
Besides, a legislator and his family are entitled to full reimbursement of expenses made on any kind of treatment including surgeries-both within and outside the state. Besides, he/she is entitled to subsidized government accommodation both at Jammu and Srinagar at a monthly rent of around Rs 500 each.
The lawmakers were gifted with high-end laptops as freebies by previous dispensation. During the 2014 budget session, the Government cleared a proposal to allow legislators and ministers to fly by Business/Club Class on international flights.
The Law Department has also forwarded a Cabinet decision to Housing and Urban Development Department for formulating a proposal to provide residential plots to the legislators, said an official.
Last year the state government also cleared purchase of 141 luxurious cars/vehicles at whopping Rs 29 crore-six Sedan cars for Chief Minister's motorcade, 25 bulletproof SUVs and 10 Gypsies for Ministers and 100 SUVs for legislators.
While the people of the State are continue to remain poor, their rulers and representatives live in luxury and abundance, all at the state expense. |
