Port Blair, Feb The Administration while submitting BE for the year 2013-14 to MHA/Ministry of Finance had projected the requirement of funds amounting to Rs. 2355.86 Cr. under the Plan Section and Rs. 1843. 18 Cr, under Non-Plan Section. As against the said requirement, the Govt. of India, Ministry of Finance had allocated an amount of Rs. 1862.49 Cr. under Plan Section and Rs. 1440.93 Cr, under Non Plan Section.
Subsequently, while submitting the RE, the Administration had projected the requirement of Rs. 1906.63 Cr. under the Plan Section and Rs. 2404.00 Cr. (including arrears payable to DGS&D amounting to Rs. 489.30 Cr.) under the Non-Plan Section. As against that, the Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India had allocated an amount of Rs 1520 Cr. under Plan Section and Rs. 1515.52 Cr, under Non-Plan Section. Thus a huge budgetary cut was imposed on the fund allocation to this UT: so much so that the Administration was not able to meet the essential requirement of the most critical sectors like Shipping and Power.
Since the amount allocated at the RE stage was too short to meet our requirements, accordingly, the matter was taken up by the Administration with Ministry of Finance at the level of Chief Secretary and Hon’ble LG. In this connection, the Hon’ble LG had called on Hon’ble Minister of Finance on 16.01.2014 and apprised him, inter-alia, of the acute shortage of funds being faced by the UT of A&N islands both under Plan and Non-Plan Sections. Hon’ble Minister of Finance having knowledge and affinity with A&N Islands appreciated the hardship being faced by the UT of A&N islands and accordingly approved allocation of additional fund amounting to Rs. 150.00 Cr. (i.e. Rs. 72.78 Cr under Non-Plan Section and Rs. 77.22 Cr. under Plan Section) for meeting the requirement of critical sectors viz. Shipping and Power Sectors.
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