Omar approves Rs 109 cr Annual Plan 2013-14 for Jammu

The District Development Board headed by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today approved a Rs 109.47 crore Annual Plan 2013-14 for Jammu district.
The Annual Plan, which was approved during a meeting chaired by Omar includes capital component of about Rs 66.96 crore and revenue component of over Rs 42.51 crore.
During the Board's meeting, the Chief Minister dispelled the impression being created by certain quarters that the Centre has curtailed the Annual Plan for 2013-14 for state government's non-utilisation of funds last year.
Last year's average expenditure has been more than 90 per cent in all districts across the state, Jammu figuring at the top by realising 99 per cent targets, he said.

The Centre maintained Rs 7,300 crore Annual Plan allocations for the state for the 2013-14 fiscal, despite financial constraints, Omar said.
The Chief Minister said, sometimes he envies the country's financially sound states which earmark thousands of crores for development purposes including providing of one kg ration at the rate of Re 1 to people, as they do not depend on central support for announcing such schemes.

"Till the time we achieve that position, we have to bear the constraint," he said adding, his government has initiated measures to provide financial strength to the state so that it could spend on specific development schemes on its own.

Omar said the state has to annually buy power of over Rs 3,600 crore and the total revenue realisation as power tariff is about Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,300 crore.
"The Planning Commission has placed a rider on the state to collect Rs 2,840 crore from power tariff for spending on development activities during the current fiscal," he said, stressing that such conditions make situations more difficult.
The Chief Minister said despite all odds on the financial front, his government is determined to move forward on the road to progress and reach out every area for inclusive and equitable development.

Expansion programmes in health and education sectors have been chalked out for the current fiscal besides consolidation strategy, he said.
On development of Jammu, Omar praised the district administration for achieving almost 100 per cent targets and laid stress on ensuring outcomes of development schemes rather than focusing on outputs.
He said this aspect has to be regularly monitored and people made aware of the outcomes of development programmes, besides keeping them abreast with all details and financial status of schemes.