Chizokho Vero
March 19
Kohima (MExN): The expenditure on salaries increased from Rs. 678.46 crore in 2000-01 to Rs. 824. 78 crore in 2004-05 registering an increase of 21. 57 per cent in five years. The Audit Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG) for the year 2004-05, presented by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio in the budget session, said that salaries accounted for 44.84 per cent of revenue receipts and 48. 96 per cent of revenue expenditure of the state during 2004-05.
Salary expenditure as percentage of revenue receipt and revenue expenditure, the report said, however, witnessed a substantial increase in 2004-05 over the previous year. Pension payments increased by 52. 84 per cent from Rs. 87.56 crore in 2000-01 to Rs. 133.83 crores in 2004-05. The expenditure on account of pension has increased from 6.79 per cent of total revenue expenditure in 2000-01 to 7.94 per cent of total revenue expenditure in 2004-05.
Interest payments increased steadily by 40.96 per cent from Rs.177.09 crore in 2000-01 to Rs. 249.62 crore in 2004-05 primarily due to higher borrowings. The Report added that interest payments as a percentage of revenue expenditure had increased from 13.73 per cent in 2000-01 to 14. 82 per cent in 2004-05.
The report also stated that the expenditure of the state in the nature of plan expenditure, capital expenditure and development expenditure reflect its quality. All the three component of quality of expenditure had inter-year variations but no significant improvement was noticed in 2004-05 compared to earlier years, it said.
Out of the developmental expenditure of Rs. 1163.32 crore during the year, social services account for 49 per cent (Rs. 569.92 crore). Expenditure on General Education, Health, Medical and Family Welfare, Water Supply and sanitation constituted 87. 65 per cent (Rs. 499.55 crore) of the expenditure on the social sector.
Similarly, the report said the expenditure on economic services (Rs. 593.40 crore) accounted for 51 per cent of the development expenditure, of which irrigation and flood control, energy and transport accounted for 42. 27percent. Financial assistance amounting to Rs. 111.78 crores provided by way of grant to different local bodies etc. during the period of five years ending 2004-05.
The Report stated that the assistance to the local bodies and other institutions during 2004-05 had increased by 11.97 per cent compared to the previous year mainly as a result of increased assistance to development agencies.
At the end of March 2005, Utilization Certificates (UCs) relating to Rs. 94. 28 crore in respect of grant released upto September 2004 and due by March 2005 from seven departments were outstanding.
Due to non – receipt of utilization certificates, it was not possible to ascertain whether the recipients had utilized the grants for the purpose(s) for which were intended, the report said.
The overall fiscal liabilities of the state increased from 1, 429.93 crore in 2000-01 to Rs. 2, 146.29 crore in 2004-05 at an average rate of 12.89 per cent during 2000-05. However, the ratio of these liabilities to GSDP decreased from 42. 60 per cent in 2000-01 to 39.30 per cent in 2004-05. These liabilities stood at 1.17 times of its revenue receipts and 13.74 times of its own resources, the report said.
In Nagaland, revenue deficit had increased from Rs. 36.13 crore in 2000-01 to Rs. 159.37 crore in 2002-03. However, there was revenue surplus of Rs. 546.80 crore in 2003-04 which came down to Rs. 154.89 crore in 2004-05.
The decline in revenue surplus was mainly on account of receipt of one time grant in aid in 2003-04 of Rs. 365 crore, the report said. The report continued that the total expenditure of the state increased from Rs. 1, 531.98 crore in 2000-01 to Rs. 2064.41 crore in 2004-05 at an average growth rate if 9.56 per cent.
The expenditure decreased by Rs. 144. 79 crore (6.55 per cent) in 2004-05 compared to the previous year though the average growth if 9.56 per cent was noticed during the last five years.
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