RIYAZ UL KHALIQ
SRINAGAR
Asserting that the enhancement of the retirement age of the state employees has nothing to do with Lok Sabha poll debacle of ruling coalition, senior National Conference leader and finance minister, Abdul Rahim Rather said that in last five years, the wage and pension bill of state employees increased three times than what was being released in their favor in 2008-09 financial year.
“In 2008-09 Rs 5925 crores were released as wage and pension bill of employees while it has increased to Rs 18385 crores in 2013-14 financial year,” Rahim said at a hurriedly called press conference here.
He also said that the government never said that the enhancement of the retirement age is ‘not feasible’.
Answering a question, Rahim said that the revenue generation of the state has also increased three times in last five years.
“The state’s revenue that comes from taxes or non tax routes has increased almost three times despite government slashing taxes in agriculture sector,” he said.
Dispelling reports that less amount of money is being spent on developmental projects, Rahim said that salary and pension of the employees comes under ‘non plan expenditure’ while the money that is being spent on developmental works comes ‘plan budgets’. “This is not correct,” he said answering a question whether less budget goes into developmental works.
