Fiscal deficit: Centre releases Rs5 billion additional amount to AJK govt

92 per cent of budget is spent on payment of salaries.

MUZAFFARABAD:

The federal government has released an additional amount of Rs5 billion to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir government to meet its fiscal deficit in the current financial year.

Sources in the AJK finance department told The Express Tribune on Thursday that during the current financial year, over Rs1 billion had been incurred by five departments- agriculture, silkworm, industries, wildlife and fisheries - under the head of non-development expenditure including payment of salaries. The sources said that the overall performance of these departments remained unsatisfactory despite receiving huge funds.

“Embezzlement and misuse of funds in local government and forest departments also contributed to the fiscal deficit,” the sources said.

The sources said that the AJK government is planning to overcome non-developmental expenditures in the forthcoming budget and more funds will be diverted to development sector, especially to carry out uplift work in the earthquake-hit areas.

“With this additional amount from the federal government, the 2013-14 budget will be made people-friendly,” said Murtaza Durrani, Media Advisor to Prime Minister of AJK.

Almost 92 per cent budget of the AJK government is spent on non-developmental expenditures including payment of salaries to over 80,000 employees.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2013.