3 Bills on 1st day of Sikkim Budget Session, 2011

Gangtok 23rd March:

Sikkim Legislative Assembly (SLA) Budget Session 2011 started from Wednesday. On the first day of the budget session of eighth assembly’s fifth session three bills were introduced. Minister, cooperative societies Ran Bahadur Subba introduced the amendment bill, Bill No.3 of 2011 where as the Chief Minister Pawan Chamling introduced the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, Bill No 4 of 2011 and the Sikkim Transport Infrastructure Development Fund (Amendment) Bill, Bill No. 5 of
2011 was also introduced in the house.

The bills introduced on the first day of the assembly will be passed on 25th March after discussion. The assembly also observed two minutes silence for the victims of Tsunami in Japan.

Earlier, while addressing the house Governor Balmiki Prasad Singh said that he felt very happy to announce that Sikkim’s Annual plan outlay for the year 2011-2012 which has been fixed at 1400 crores, against the revised plan outlay 863.72 crores for the year 2010-2011. Governor further said that the revision was necessitated because of the implementation of the Fiscal Reforms and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, 2010 from 1st January 2011 in the state. The outlay of 1400 crores for the year 2011-2012 represents massive increase of 62.09% over the previous year. This is in recognition of the progress and development achieved by the state with good governance and effective delivery of services.

Governor added that the 11th plan (2007-08 to 2011-12) had sought to build on the gains achieved in the 10th plan and shift the economy on a path of faster and more inclusive growth. Inclusiveness is now a critical element in the strategy to achieve broad based growth aimed at overcoming deficiencies in critical areas which affected a large number of vulnerable sections of our population, particularly the scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes, the other backward classed women and minorities.

The 11th plan sought to deal with these deficiencies through programmes aimed at providing access to health, education, clean drinking water and other essential services, including extending livelihood support to every nook and corner of the state.
The Governor said that the state government has laid special focus on poverty eradication and great emphasis is also being given to the rural sector for the development and upliftment of the people of rural areas. As a result the percentage of families living below the poverty line has been steadily decreasing. This explains the positive impact of the poverty alleviation programmes being undertaken by the
government since 1994 when a policy decision was taken to allocate 70% of the plan budget for the rural sector. The same policy continues to guide our attention towards social commitment by way of introducing a range of social safety nets to guarantee basic minimum needs to the deprived and disadvantaged section of the society stated Governor.

The Governor further said that present government accords topmost priority to the health sector. Existing health infrastructure facilities are being upgraded and innovative steps involving preventive and curative measures which encompass diagnostic facilities for timely detection of ailments for all age-group are being undertaken. The most recent initiative has been the launching of the Chief Minister’s
Comprehensive Annual and Total Check for Healthy Sikkim (CATCH) campaign.

“We need to be adequately equipped with a comprehensive data covering the health profile of each and every citizen in the state. This will be monitored and updated annually so that the required delivery mechanism for timely intervention in providing health care and treatment can be organized more efficiently”. He added that such an exercise will involve upgrading the technical expertise of our doctors and the paramedics as well as improving the physical facilities for diagnostics services covering the entire network of our medical centers. Presently, 575 bedded multi-special
hospital is under construction in the vicinity of the state capital. Once completed, it will fulfill the ambition of government to provide the best medical treatment facility within the state.

Speaking on education Governor Balmiki Prasad Singh said that Education is a top priority of government. Almost 20% of the plan is allocated for this sector in our quest to provide quality education to student. The government seeks to eradicate illiteracy and achieve a high educational status at par with the best in the country. Under the Chief Minister’s Meritorious Scholarship Programme the state government is sponsoring
free education to the promising students at the class five state levels to the premier public school within as well as outside the state. Already 150 students have benefited under this programme. Though education is accessible to everybody in the state, a mechanism has been evolved to monitor and implement the school programme so that
visible outcomes can be achieved. State government realizes that teachers are very important to impart quality education and to that extent it is crucial to provide proper training to the teachers. Every effort is being made to improve education in the state be it at school level or in colleges both in terms of hardware and software.

Governor concluded by saying that it is heartening to note that per capita income of Rs.57, 637 at current prices for 2009-10 has shown a healthy increase of 17.14% when compared to Rs.49, 201 of financial year 2008-09. In this background, he further stated that as the state embarks on to the 12th five year plan, it can look forward to starting the next plan on a right note to work for giving economic freedom to the people and for making Sikkim a prosperous state.

Courtesy: Sikkim Mail

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Bills introduced and motion of thanks passed unanimously

March 24, 2011

On the second day of Sikkim Legislative Assembly two major amendment bills on Fiscal responsibility & Budget Management and the Sikkim Casinos (Control and Tax) amendment Bill, 2011 were introduced. Both the bills were introduced by the Chief Minister who is also the Minister-in-Charge of Finance, Revenue and Expenditure Department.

The Fiscal responsibility & Budget Management (Amendment) act includes the provision to reduce debt stock to 55.9% of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) within a period of five year commencing from the year 2010-2011 and ending on 2014-2015.

Year Max. debt stock as per centum of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP)
2010-2011 68.4
2011-2012 65.2
2012-2013 62.1
2013-2014 58.8
2014-2015 55.9

(Target of debt reduction every year)

This amendment has come after the 13th Finance Commission has made it mandatory to enact the Fiscal responsibility & Budget Management legislation. This act is directly linked with the release of funds from the centre. Ministry of Finance, Government of India already instructed the state to target debt reduction.

With this bill becoming an act, State Government will have to make sure that fiscal deficit remains in check. This will also limit the State Government borrowings including off-budget borrowings. The act is aimed to bring more transparency in fiscal operations along with reduction in debt.

It’s an important bill for Sikkim in the light of increased annual plan outlay of state. It has been increased exorbitantly by Rs. 1,400 for the year 2011-2012 compared to Rs.863.72 cr for the year 2010-2011. If state debt not controlled properly it is very likely that most of the funds won’t be released by the Central Government.

The other bill which tabled for the amendment was Sikkim Casino (Control and Tax) Amendment bill, 2002. As per the new changes the definition of “Casino Games” will mean all or any such games of entertainment or chance as may be notified by the State Government from time to time and which is played by means of any machine or instrument.

Also if casino license holder aggrieved by any order, he may appeal to Appellate Authority against the order within period of 60 days. In all these matters authority decision would be final and cannot be called in question in any court.

30 members out of 32 were present in today’s seesion. P.S Tamang of Burtuk constituency applied for leave for the entire budget session on health grounds. T.T Bhutia of Kabi Lunchuk constituency was also absent from the proceedings because of bad health.

Assembly also passes motion of thanks on H.E. Governor’s address unanimously. The discussions on the placed bills will take place on 25th March, 2011. Assembly was adjourned till tomorrow.

source:isikkim