Morung Express News
Kohima | March 16
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio who also holds the Finance portfolio on Saturday placed before the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) the Vote on Account budget for the year 2013-14 and sought the approval of the House for withdrawal of Rs. 2913.43 crore from the Consolidated Fund of Nagaland.
The amount sought for payment of expenses relating to the period from April 1 to July 31, 2013, is approximately one-third of the estimated expenditure for the next financial year 2013-14.
The Vote on Account presented on the Floor of the House showed that as per current estimates, the total receipts for the year 2013-14 stands at Rs. 9260.15 crore and the total expenditure at Rs. 8686.69 crores, showing a surplus balance of Rs. 573.46 crore in the Consolidated Fund of Nagaland.
After adjusting a deficit of Rs. 609.24 crore in the Public Account, the current transaction of the year will result in a deficit of Rs. 35.78 crore. However, as the closing deficit of the current year 2012-13 is being estimated at Rs. 891.73 crore, the year 2013-14 is estimated to close with a deficit of Rs. 927.51 crore.
Giving reasons on why the government decided to go for Vote-on-Account, the Chief Minister said that elections and subsequent formation of the government has taken up much of our time in the past three months. “We are also yet to have plan discussions with the Planning Commission of India. We propose to first complete the formalities of plan discussions, and then have a full fledged budget session, with detailed works programmes for the year 2013-14” he stated.
Highlighting on the commitments and visions of development of his government, Rio said that the government would provide “health for all”, strive for quality education along with total literacy, give special attention to rural development, agriculture and allied sector, urban development, infrastructure development, especially roads and power to drive economic growth.
“Empowerment of the people means good health care facilities, quality education, economic self sufficiency through growth and development, and peaceful social environment. These are the basic goals of all humanity, and we aspire to make our people attain these goals”, Rio said in his 25-minute budget speech.
