Former Member of Parliament and AIADMK functionary S.Ramadass on Monday said the Chief Minister had lost moral authority to rule the Union Territory as he would be presenting only an interim budget for the financial year 2015-16.
“By doing so, perhaps he earns the distinction of being the first Chief Minister/Finance Minister of independent India to submit interim budget for five consecutive years. By failing to discharge this constitutional duty continuously for five years, the government headed by Mr.Rangasamy has lost moral authority to govern the Union Territory,” said Dr.Ramadass in a statement.
Viewing that the delay in getting the nod of NITI Ayog for a plan outlay of Rs.2,800 crore need not deter the government from presenting a full-fledged budget this year, Dr.Ramadass also said the government should take a calculated risk in the larger interest of the society.
He added that even in the worst case scenario of outlay reduction by Rs.100-200 crore, the government can meet the challenge by additional resource mobilisation, especially through non tax revenue, reducing the size of non plan expenditure, abandoning some of the unproductive schemes, reducing a few new schemes on a priority assessment and borrowing a certain amount from the capital market.
Dr. Ramadass suugested that the government immediately depute a team of three senior officers of the government to New Delhi to discuss with the senior officials of the Ministries of Home and Finance and get the approval for the full Budget which may even be submitted to the Assembly on March 30 instead of March 25.
