NLA Day 2: Vote on Account tabled, ‘taxation’ issue raised

Rio presents Rs 3523.58 cr Vote-on-Account

Principal Correspondent
Kohima, March 21

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today presented Rs 3523.58 crore vote on account for the fiscal 2014-15 to meet the expenses of the State Government during the first four months from April 1 to July 31, 2014.
Rio who is also holding the Finance portfolio, informed the 60-member House the vote-on-account was presented consequent upon the decision of the Planning Commission of India to hold the Annual Plan discussions with the states only after the completion of the forthcoming Parliamentary Elections.
He said the amount sought to be passed in the Vote on Account is approximately one-third of the estimated expenditure for the next financial year 2014-15. He said as per the current estimates, the total receipts for the 2014-15 has been placed at Rs 10714.22 crores and the total expenditure at Rs 10538.08 crores, reflecting a positive balance of Rs. 176.14 crores in the consolidated fund of the state.
However, he said that after adding a deficit of Rs. 189.79 crores in the Public Account, the current transactions of the year are expected to result in a deficit of Rs. 13.65 crores.He further said since the opening deficit of the next fiscal is estimated at Rs. 950.90 crores, the financial year 2014-15 is expected to close with a deficit of Rs. 964.55 crores.
Having filed the nomination for the Lok Sabha election from lone Nagaland Parliamentary Constituency yesterday, this will be his last vote-on-account in the State Assembly.
Meanwhile, highlighting the finances of the State, Rio referred to the fixation of Plan size of Nagaland (2013-14) at Rs. 2000 crores by the Planning Commission which was inclusive of normal funding of North Eastern States usually received under DoNER and NEC.
He regretted that such inclusions of NEC funds and NLCPR funds to State’s Plan outlay has never been done before and hence there was strong objections by all the NE States and in view of the objections.
He said the assurance for a mid-term review by the Planning Commission of the State’s Plan allocations in the month of September/October 2013,regretfully was not held.
Nevertheless, Rio said that the government has tried to make the best use of the meager state plan allocation by giving emphasis to the Social Service sectors.
Rio said that during the visit of the Fourteenth Finance Commission to the state in October last year, the state government apprised some of the special requirements and state specific programmes amounting to Rs. 1394.97 crores for implementation through special grants during the award period from 2015-16 to 2019-20.
These priority schemes include construction of the high Court and quarters, Multi-disciplinary sports stadium and complex; art & music centre; upgradation and improvement of systems and infrastructure in the power sector, construction of foothill road, replacement of district and sub-divisional administrative buildings; replacement of quarters for members of the NLA; completion of Guest House at RK Puram and staff quarters at Dwarka, New Delhi; housing for police personnel in rural police and sub-stations etc.