Story in numbers: J&K Budget- Introducing the Mufti model of governance

State Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu presented the annual state Budget on May 30. Dubbing it a document that highlights the "Mufti model of governance", Drabu said an effort had been made to put in place systems and processes which will eventually eliminate corruption in the system.

Fund transfers from the Centre account for nearly three-fourths of the state's total revenue. This is hardly surprising.

The state spends roughly a third on capital expenditure. In absolute terms, capital expenditure has seen a three-fold rise since 2014-15. Revenue expenditure, which is essentially salaries and administrative spending, has risen by about 1.5 times in absolute terms.

Drabu said the Budget has provisions for streamlining the system payment of salaries to casual, seasonal, need-based and other categories of workers. "First, the wages are paid irregularly, which is completely unethical. Second, it conceals the amount Government spends on wages. Third, it leaves no money for maintenance of our capital assets. We have changed this system by insisting on paying wages from the head of the accounts where it is to be paid from," he said at a post-Budget press conference.

In absolute numbers, money allocated for public works has risen four times (though on a lower base), education three times and power almost three times since 2014-15

"The State Government needs to lay stress on Public Private Partnerships. In our case, apart from improving the delivery of services, it will also help the nascent local private sector in its otherwise stunted growth. In key sectors with lumpy frontloaded investments, the Government will consider providing Viability Gap Funding so as to make it remunerative for the private partner," he said.