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The
finance minister further said, "the per capita
income in the year 2003-2004 was Rs 14,848 at constant
prices and in 2008-09 it will be Rs 19,899 at constant
prices. This means during our period, income of an
average person in J&K has increased by Rs 5,051.
The
minister said that the size of the Annual Plan for the
next financial year has been fixed at Rs 4,500 crore and
an outlay of Rs 1,018 crore projected under Prime
Minister's Reconstruction Plan (PMRP).
Saying
that the plan shall have three sub-plans, the Finance
minister said that the sectoral sub-plan will lay
emphasis on connectivity and power which were both
central to infrastructure development. This sub-plan
will also focus on building capacities in the health and
education sectors. The operational sub-plan will aim at
completion of ongoing works.
Karra
said that plan expenditure, which was Rs 2,218 crore in
the year 2001-02, has reached a level of Rs 3,179 crore
last year. "It is likely to be of the order of Rs
4,463 crore this year.
Discussing
administrative reforms, Karra said that "our tax
performance has been good; largely due to a very
positive switch-over to the new VAT regime and added
that from a level of Rs 409 crore as GST in the year
2001-02, commercial tax collections last year show
almost a three time increase to Rs 1,159 crore.
He
proposed constitution of a committee headed by the
Finance secretary for working out the modalities to look
into clearing tax scenario before March 31, 2008.
The
Finance minister further said that a Green Channel
facility is already in place at Lakhanpur to which
nearly 250 dealers with clean track record have access.
The department of Commercial Taxes shall be adding
another 750 dealers to this list.
“A
provision of Rs 4 crore had been made in the current
budget. A further provision of Rs 4 crore is being
proposed during 2008-09 for support to cooperative
sector", he said.
The
minister said, "to promote the culture of
public-private partnership in the state, the industry
associations of Bari Brahamna, Samba, Lassipora and
Rangreth Industrial Estates will be given the option to
manage one or two ITIs each".
Karra
said that the Provident Fund Act will apply to those
enterprises that employ 10 workers and above as against
present five or more employees. The three per cent
interest subsidy on working capital given to new
industrial units will now be applicable to existing
units as well for a period of two years, the minister
told the house.
Karra
said that the government also proposes exemption from
levy of additional toll on export of basmati rice to
benefit the farmers and also proposed to continue with
the placement of Paddy, Rice, Wheat, Pulses, Flour, Atta,
Maida, Suji and Besan in the zero percent VAT schedule
for one more year with effect from April 01, 2008.
He
said that to support the weavers engaged in traditional
crafts the government proposes placement of locally
handmade carpets also in the zero per cent VAT schedule.
Karra
said the government proposes the placement of rakhi
thread, raw tobacco and bidis in zero per cent rate
schedule under VAT so as to bring it at par with the
uniform VAT rates.
He
said that the government further proposes to place
optical goods like spectacles etc along with both
handmade and machine made soap in the four per cent rate
schedule under VAT.
Discussing
the welfare measures, the Finance Minister said that
continuing with its past practice the government has
proposed to earmark an amount of Rs 200 crore to ensue
that the state employees get DA as per the rates that
will be notified by the central government.
He
further said that to address non-payment of old age and
widow pension in time, the government has decided to
increase the outlay on the non-plan side (state share)
by about Rs 8 crore to cover all the 2,68,737 sanctioned
cases and also proposed the provision at the same level
of Rs 37 crore for the next year.
He
also said that the state government has decided to
enhance the scale of relief in respect of persons
discharged on their own request to a level of Rs 500 per
month and to a level of Rs 750 per month in respect of
persons discharged on medical grounds.
Accordingly,
the government has raised the provision by Rs 2 crore in
the budget estimates for 2008-09. The Finance Minister
said that appropriate upward revision in the rates for
advertisements in print media would be considered.
The
Finance minister said that the state government has
approved Aam Admi Bima Yojna (AABY) for the landless
rural households for implementation, which shall come
into effect from April 01, 2008. He said a health care
insurance scheme for artisans and craftsmen, on the
lines of the scheme applicable to Government employees,
will be worked out.
Source
:
Merinews -
New Delhi, India, dated 16/01/2008
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