Srinagar: Floods of 2014, demonetisation and introduction of GST has been described as “major economic disturbances” by the governor administration in its budget statement released last weekend.
“The revised estimates for 2018-2019 and budget estimates for 2019-2020 is being presented in the background of last couple of year’s disturbances, political developments, major economic disturbances due to devastating floods of 2014, demonetisation and introduction of GST. As a result, trade and business and other economic activities have not fully recovered and picked up as expected.”
The Budget statement also claimed that period after the fall of PDP-BJP government has been of relative calm and developmental activities have substantially picked up.
The popular government headed by the Peoples Democratic Party’s Mehbooba Mufti fell when its partner BJP pulled out of the ruling coalition on June 16.
“After the fall of Elected Government in June, 2018, the State has been under the Governor’s Rule. This phase has been a period of relative calm and developmental activities have substantially picked up,” reads the Budget statement.”
In November 2016, the Demonetisation had made 86 per cent of existing currency (in denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000) illegal tender.
The Budget, as per the governor administration, is based on two key principles underscored by the Governor: (a) Mission delivering development and (b) Mission good governance.
Regarding implementation of the 7th pay Commission recommendations for government employees including payment of arrears , the Budget statement said this has caused an estimated additional burden on the State Exchequer to the tune of Rs.9000.00 crores.
“Long pending issue of stagnation of KAS and KPS Officers have been addressed. Similarly, induction from various feeding services to the KAS particularly in the case of Secretariat Non-gazetted
service has also been addressed,” it said, adding, “Approximately, 27000 posts have been created to regularise the teachers recruited through Rehbar-eTaleem (ReT) and Sarwa Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). This measure alone will cost the State exchequer an additional burden of Rs.1000.00 crores.”
The employees, the budget statement said, will certainly recognise that for the first time their salaries, GPF and other benefits are being paid to them in time despite meagre resources available with the State of its own.
“It is expected that the employees will continue to work hard with zeal and passion to implement the Government policies and programmes by way of delivering the services to the public in a time bound manner and with a great sense of professionalism and integrity,” it added.
