HP proposes budget of ` 4,400 cr for next fiscal
The Himachal Pradesh government has proposed an annual budget plan of ` 4,400 crore for the 2013-14 fiscal, taking the amount ` 300 crore higher than the previous annual plan.
Presiding over a meeting of legislators from Solan, Sirmaur, Shimla, Mandi and Bilaspur, chief minister Virbhadra Singh said the state had been providing adequate funds for balanced and quicker development in the state and took the decision on funds planned for the next fiscal after finalising priorities for 2014-15.
He said priorities listed by legislators were important in the planning process and the government was giving priority to these, so as to provide better facilities and services to the people of the state. “Departments are preparing detailed project reports of various developmental projects and efforts are being made to get them sanctioned from the appropriate level at the earliest,” he said.
Under Centre- sponsored schemes, the state government would try to fund priorities listed by legislators first. “Priorities which are not covered under the grants provided by Centre will be sent to NABARD for funding through loans,” the CM added.
He directed all secretaries and head of departments to consider legislators’ priorities and said “laxity in this regard will not be tolerated”. To get an equal share in all Centre-sponsored schemes on the analogy of north-eastern states in 90-10 ratio, the state government has been raising the issue with the Centre, he said.
“I have personally urged the union finance minister to accept this demand,” Singh said, adding that all such matters should be raised with the Centre. Singh also advised legislators to provide details of developmental schemes to the planning department for incorporating them in the budget. He requested all legislators to provide their suggestions on policy matters, financial resources, and good governance in the meeting.
“The government is striving hard to provide people with basic facilities nearer to their doorsteps and is endeavouring to fill vacant posts, especially of doctors, paramedical staff and teachers,” he said, adding that the priority would be given to construction of road and bridges and that there would be no dearth of funds for them.