Blunting the opposition's criticism of his 'begging bowl' remark, Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu today said it was former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who had stated that "he goes to the Centre with a begging bowl to seek grants for the state".
In his budget speech on Sunday Drabu had said that he would not seek any financial assistance or grants from the Centre other than what is provided for in the Constitution of India for all the special category states.
"In common parlance, I am asserting that I shall not go with a begging bowl to New Delhi. This is despite the fact that we not only have a friendly government at the Centre and we also have an exceptionally sensitive and accommodating Union Finance Minister", he had said.
Winding up the discussion on his budget speech in the Assembly today, Drabu attacked the opposition for launching a tirade against him for his "begging bowl" comment.
"If I start speaking of the past six years they (opposition) will not know where to hide themselves. They left state with a liability of Rs 9,000 crore," he said.
"I said that we would not go with a begging bowl," he said, adding that it was the then chief minister Omar Abdullah in November 2014 who had said in TV interview that "he goes to the Centre with a begging bowl to seek grants for the state".
Terming his budget as forward looking and full of reforms, he also said the government would develop Mattan as an ethnographic village to preserve the culture of the Kashmiri Pandit community.
He also said all legislators in the state would be given iPads to access the entire database of questions and answers that were raised in the House.
He said Jammu and Kashmir enjoys a special status as far as its economy is concerned and there is a need to strengthen its "power to tax".
While terming the transmission and distribution losses suffered by the state power department as "theft and dacoity" he said that the power sector suffered losses worth Rs 4,300 crore.
He said that he will be presenting a White Paper on the state of the finances in the states which would be prepared by an independent agency.
He said that the government was planning to outsource the toll collection facility at the Lakhanpur toll Plaza, "The aim to bring in more efficiency so that it continues to work 24 by 7, at present I am told that we get a revenue of Rs 400 crore per annum from Lakhanpur, we will do an open bidding, the one who gives us Rs 500 crore will get the contract."
Drabu added since he took over as the finance minister he has received around 50 recommendations from people seeking transfer to Lakhanpur as it was a source of income. "Outsourcing the collection of toll will also help end corruption," he said.
The government would also develop Rajma, Mango and Apricot villages on the pattern of apple and basmati villages.
