Morung Express News
August 24
KOHIMA: The expenditure on salaries in Nagaland has increased from Rs. 522.28 crore in 1999-2000 to Rs. 768.19 crore in 2003-04, registering an increase of 47 per cent in five years.
According to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report, salaries accounted for 32.55 per cent of revenue receipt and 42.37 per cent of revenue expenditure of the state during 2003-04. Salary expenditure as per cent to revenue receipt and revenue expenditure however, witnessed a sharp deceleration in 2003-04.
Expenditure of pension payment increased by 139.30 per cent from Rs. 58.84 crore in 1999-2000 to Rs. 140.81 crore in 2003-04.
The report stated that the rate of pension and DCRG were revised by the Government of Nagaland for its employees with effect from April 2000 and the arrears on this account were drawn during 2000-01, 2001-02 and 2002-03 due to which the expenditure in pension during these years was exceptionally high.
Out of the developmental expenditure of Rs. 1279.16 crore during the year, social services accounted for 43.82 per cent (Rs.569.47 crore). Expenditure on general education, health, medical and family welfare, water supply and sanitation constituted 85 per cent of the expenditure in the social sector.
Similarly, the expenditure on economic services (Rs. 718. 69 crore) accounted for 56.18 per cent of the development expenditure, of which irrigation and flood control, energy and transport accounted for 46.12 per cent.
The quantum of assistance is to the tune of Rs. 30.66 crore and was provided by way of grants to different local bodies during the period of five years ending 2003-04.
Meanwhile, the revenue receipts of the state increased from Rs. 1131.46 crore in 1999-2000 to Rs. 2359.79 crore in 2003-04. While 6 per cent of the revenue receipts during 2003-04 came from state owned resources comprising taxes and non-taxes, central tax transfers and grants-in-aid together contributed 94 per cent of the total revenue, the report added.
As on March 31 2004, the State government had invested Rs. 69.36 crore in its statutory corporations, government companies, joint stock companies and co-operative societies. Government’s return on this investment was less than one per cent in the last five years.
