JHADC chief tables a Rs 13.59 Cr deficit budget for 2024-25, assures to provide effective administration

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 7, 2024

Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) Thombor Shiwat on Thursday presented a Rs 13,59,36,800 deficit budget for the year 2024-2025.

Delivering his budget speech during the council’s session, Shiwat said that the Estimated Receipts from the Council own resources is Rs 29,38,23,800 and from the share of revenue from the Government is Rs 97,50,00,000  while the receipts from the Government grants is Rs 77,74,99,700.

“Thus, the proposed Budget Estimated for the ensuing Financial Year 2024-2025 bear an Estimated Receipts of Rs 204,63,23,500 as against the Estimated Expenditure of Rs 218,22,60,300, thus reflecting a deficit of Rs 13,59,36,800,” he said.

He informed that the Actual Receipts of the Council from all sources in the Financial Year 2022-2023 which was Rs 113,62,46,064 against the total expenditure of Rs 117,81,88,185.  The deficit of Rs 4,19,42,121 was made from Surplus of previous years.

With regards to the current Financial Year 2023-2024, the CEM said that the Executive Committee through its continuous efforts received Rs 46,63,70,500 from major minerals and Rs 13,96,86,519 from minor minerals, whereas, from taxes on Motor Vehicle an amount of Rs 14,50,93,319 have received till date.

“The Share of revenue released by the State Government along with other revenue receipts of this Council have been utilized for payment of the pending salary of the members, employees and pensioner of our Council, besides, refundment of the temporary loan taken from Civil Works Department and other unavoidable contingency expenditures incurred by the office,” he said.

“Regarding receipts of financial assistance from the Government it may be mentioned that during the current financial year 2023-24 Rs 17,00,000 has been received from Land Reform Scheme, whereas, from the Centrally Sponsored Scheme this Council is expected to receive an amount of Rs 3,54,04,700 as 1st Instalment from Digital India Land Record Modernisation Programme (DILRMP),” he added.

To overcome the deficit, the CEM said that the Executive Committee have undertaken the following steps in order to augment the revenue receipts of the Council.

This includes the introduction of the the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (Village and Town Development Council) Bill, 2023. The Bill has been placed in the House during the Winter Session held on the 9h November, 2023, the same is now being sent to the  Governor of Meghalaya for receiving his assent.

The council has also decided on the creation of the Village and Town Administration Department to look after the implementation of Building Bye Law which will help in improving the financial stability of this Council through its Building permission Fees and such like matters.

The CEM informed that through its Art & Culture Department, to issue a public Notification so that the existing Tourist Spots and the Stakeholders, Private Enterprise, Person/(s) who seek to open a new Tourist Spot, shall obtain Permission/No Objection Certificate from this District Council.

To extend the powers and functions of the Revenue Augmentation Committee which was created vide Notification No. JHADC/GENL/15/2023/1, dt. 25.9.2023 to examine, determine and propose all possible ways to identify the resources where revenue can be generated for improving the financial position of the Council, besides the terms of reference already assigned to the Committee.

In curbing the expenditure, he said that the strength of posts in the coming financial year has been reduced to 1286 from 1335 and in order to minimize expenditure, the proposed estimate on contingency expenses has been reduced to minimum extent.

Further, the CEM informed that the Annual Accounts of the Council have been compiled up to the year 2022-2023 and submitted to the Principal Accountant General (Audit), Meghalaya Shillong. The position of submission of Annual Account of the Council is now up to date.

“Also, for an effective Internal Control Mechanism in the Council and to ensure compliance of Rules, Acts, procedure, policies of the Council by each of the Departments and to improve the efficiency in functioning, and also to protect the Council from occurrence of fraud, waste of resources, we have created an Internal Audit Section during the year 2023-2024. The Internal Audit Section has started functioning independently from September 2023,” he said.

Further, the New Additional Office building of Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council have been completed and the same was Inaugurated on the 5^th December 2023.

He said that as far as Central Grant is concerned during the current financial Year 2023-2024, the Council could implement 363 Schemes/Projects from Tied and Untied Grant which include Drinking wells, Water Harvestings, Water Tanks, Drainage, Check Dams, Fishery Ponds, Ambulance, Water Canals, Solar Strict lights, School Buildings, Community Halls, Sanitation Public Toilets, playgrounds, Footpaths, Washing Platforms etc. in different localities of the Jaintia Hills District.

Meanwhile, the CEM assured the House that “his Executive Committee is committed to lead this District Council in the right direction and to provide clear and effective administration to uplift the people of Jaintia Hills Districts.”