No new posts, curbs on purchase of govt vehicles in Ker bud

Cash strapped LDF government today imposed restrictions on creation of new posts, purchase of vehicles by government departments and foreign jaunts as part of stringent fiscal discipline, but also announced a Rs 2000 crore package for fisherfolk.
The government also set apart Rs 1267 crore for welfare schemes for women and promised to clear by March dues of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) pensioners, held up since the past six months.
Presenting the 2018-19 state budget of the CPI(M)-led LDF government, Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said the Rs 2,000 crore comprehensive package was for the overall development of coastal areas and welfare of fishermen, who had borne the brunt of Ockhi cyclone on November 29,30 last year.

Ockhi was a warning and precaution should be taken and a long term coastal disaster mitigation development plan should be formulated, he said, adding, the draft has been submitted to the central government.
Under the package, fishing vessels and coastal villages would be linked through a satellite-based navigation and weather forecasting system and the disaster management authority had already given shape to it, he said.
Healthcare scheme through Kerala lottery ...................................................

The government also announced a comprehensive health care scheme through Kerala lottery. NRI chits of Kerala State Financial Enterprises (KSFE) will be started in next March-April, the minister said.

Fees and charges for all services have gone by five per cent, the fair value of land has been raised by 10 per cent and tax structure of IMFL and beer revised.
An amnesty scheme has been extended by the government to at least 3500 owners who had registered their luxury vehicles in Puducherry to evade state tax.
In his over two-hour long speech dotted by references to works of various women writers, the minister also announced that the rehabilitation package for Endosulfan victims would be fully implemented. In the first phase, Rs 50 crore had been sanctioned, he said.

The fiscal consolidation will not affect any social security schemes of the government, including welfare pensions, he said.
About 42.4 lakh persons in the state are being given either pension or financial assistance by government. Besides, over five lakh people are being given pension through welfare fund, he said.
Every year the government was spending Rs 6000 crore on social security pension while the previous Congress-led UDF government had disbursed about Rs 1680 crore, Isaac said.
With shrinking finances, the government has now brought in certain criteria for identifying those not eligible for the welfare pension, he said.
Curbs on purchase of govt vehicles .............................................

The government has decided to create new posts only if necessary. Curbs have also been imposed on purchase of government vehicles by various departments.
"Instead of purchasing new vehicles, they can be hired on rent which would save costs by at least one-third," he said.
Purchase of luxury cars costing over Rs 14 lakh should be discouraged, Isaac said.
The government has also stressed the need for reducing travel expenses. Foreign tours would be allowed only if necessary and video conferencing should be made use of to the maximum, he said.
Use of landline telephones should be reduced with stress on shifting to cost effective packages of mobile phones.

The government has allocated Rs 1,267 crore for women welfare schemes, Rs 10 crore for welfare of transgenders and Rs 200 crore for various schemes for 'Kudumbashree', a woman neighbourhood network.
The government has set apart Rs 970 crore for school education and Rs 954 crore for food subsidy in the budget.
Providing much needed help to revamp the ailing KSRTC, the government has set apart Rs 1,000 crore. The pension arrears will be cleared by March, Isaac said.
The total revenue expected was Rs 102801.24 crore, while revenue expenditure Rs 115661.05 crore.
The revenue deficit was 12859.81 crore and additional resource mobilisation announced in the budget was Rs 970.40 crore.

Reacting to the budget proposals, Opposition leader, Ramesh Chennithla said it lacked "reality", while BJP general secretary M T Ramesh felt it was only a "political speech.