Taking a cue from the Centre on advancing the budget date, the Haryana government is planning to present its budget for the 2017-18 financial year in the month of February instead of March.
The State government also intends to scrap the distinction between plan and non-plan expenditures in the annual budget and introduce classification of expenditure into revenue and capital heads on the lines of the Central government.
Haryana Finance Minister Capt. Abhimanyu, at the pre -budget consultations held by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi on Wednesday, said: “Presenting budget in February under revenue and capital classification would facilitate the authorisation of expenditure by the time the new financial year begins.”
“The Haryana government is planning to emulate the Centre by presenting its budget on the basis of revenue and capital classification in February 2017 itself,” he said.
Capt. Abhimanyu said the State government has welcomed the decisions of the Centre to do away with the artificial distinction between plan and non-plan from 2017-18, introduce classification of expenditure into revenue and capital heads and advance the Union Budget to February 1.
Higher allocation
He urged Mr. Jaitley to enhance the allocation especially for the development of infrastructural facilities in rural areas of the State.
Capt. Abhimanyu pointed out that all cooperative sugar mills in Haryana were running up losses and had negative net worth.
“The loss suffered by the sugar industry can be offset to some extent by laying emphasis on by-products, such as setting up of ethanol and co-generation plants,” he said, adding that the Centre should provide financial assistance in the form of interest-free loans or soft loans for setting up of ethanol and co-generation plants in the State to enable these sugar mills to improve their financial health.
