JHADC passes deficit budget for 2020-21
Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) on Wednesday passed a ₹17.89 crore deficit budget for the 2020-2021.
In his budget speech, JHADC chief Thombor Shiwat said, “The proposed budget estimates for the ensuing financial year 2020-21 bear an estimated receipts of ₹155.20 crore as against the estimated expenditure of₹173.18 crore casting a deficit of ₹ 17.89 crore.”
He said the deficit budget is attributed to various reasons which include the increasing cost of establishment due to annual increment of pay of employees and the increase in the rate of dearness allowance.
He said liabilities of the arear revise pay of 40%. of the members and employees which is not able to clear during the current financial year and carried over as committed liabilities to the coming financial year.
He also said it is also due to the increasing cost of contingencies expenditures due to ever increasing of market price index.
“Another situation which increases the deficit is the reluctant of the departments of the government to extend financial assistance to support the activities of the District Council in serving the people under the purview of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India. Our departments also are not dynamic and keen on submissions of schemes and pursuance of the matter vigorously with the relevant government departments. Our meagre income is aggravated by the suspension of Mining and transportation of coal in the State which has adverse impact on the overall revenue receipts of the Council,” the CEM said.
Shiwat however said that the Order of the Supreme Court passed on July 3, last year, has given the council hope that the mining of coal in the State may resume shortly.
According to him, the bulk of the revenue income which sustained our District Council is the receipt of share of revenue from the State Government on royalty on coal.
“I do hope that transportation of 32 lakh metric tonnes of the extracted coal by the Coal India Ltd as per the aforesaid Supreme Court Order will soon be actuated, Thereby this Council will receive it dues share of royalty from the State Government,” he said adding that the painful financial deficiency will then be alleviated to certain extent.
Coming to the expenditure, the JHADC chief said that the strength of posts in the ensuing financial year has been reduced to 1480 from 1490 as shown in the current budget.
He said in order to minimise the Expenditure in the ensuing financial year budget, the executive committee has taken step to reduce the over staff as far as practicable.
“Presently a decision hạs been made to do away with all extraordinary grade Ill and IV posts for which vacancies are caused by the retirement and death of council employees. Expenditure on contingency and works of various departments are also reduced to a minimum extent,” he stated.
With regards to the development and the construction of lawmusiang Market, the executive committee has taken up the matter with the State Government, he said adding “We expect that soon the government will release an amount of ₹12 crore for resuming back the remaining construction work of Redevelopment of lawmusiang Market,at Jowai.”
He said speaking of market, it is a major subject of the district council which manages, controls and administers the subject on markets. It is one of the subject which generates revenue to the District Council.
The Government has no market like the District Council, but it extends financial assistance for the improvement and development of markets. Market develops the commercial activities of the people and improves economy.
From time to time markets, super markets, weekly markets, daily markets, shopping complex, Malls and Marts are coming up with no regulations control and registration by the competent authority of the District Council.
The CEM however said the administration of market are all the while left to be mixed up with Fisheries, Soil and Agriculture Department. It is high time that market shall have its own Department under the supervision and control of the Market officer who will look after the affairs and subject of markets and generate deserving revenue income to District Council.
“With this end in view the executive committee has created a separate Department for Market which will look after solely for the development and control of market and strengthening the administration of the District Council. No extra expenditure will be involved as the existing Officer and staff will be utilized to man the Market Department,” he said
With the bifurcation of the Market, Agriculture, Soil and Fishery Department where all the subjects on market will be dealt with by the newly created Market Department, the other subjects on Fishery, Agriculture and Soil will remain the subjects to look into by the new Department to be known as the Fishery and Agriculture Department, with the Fishery Officer as the Head of Department.
Earlier during the one-day special session, members were seen adhering to strict social distancing and other protocols to prevent spread of COVID-19
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