CADC Emergency Budget Session 2023-24 begins; Discussion and voting on June 22, 2023

Kamalanagar, 19 June, 2023: Dg. Rasik Mohan Chakma, CEM, CADC presented the first Budget of the 11th Chakma Autonomous District Council for the fiscal year 2023-24 in the first sitting of the CADC Emergency Budget Session which started today. The budget will be discussed and voted on June 22, 2023.

The Supplementary Demand for Grants, 2022-23 & Re-appropriation of Local Receipts Fund, 2022-23 and Demand for Grants, 2023-24 (Budget Estimate) has been placed before the house for the discussion and approval of the members. The Supplementary Demand for Grants, 2022-23 is for an amount of Rs. 1259.58 lakhs out of which Rs. 1257.58 lakhs is against salary under Normal Grants-in-Aid and Rs. 2.00 lakhs against salary under Village Council Remuneration.

The Local Receipts for the fiscal year 2022-2023 was for an amount of 113.97 lakhs against a target of Rs. 132.37 lakhs. The CEM attributed the shortfall to the uncertainties caused by the onslaught of Covid-19 and asserted his hope that the budgetary target under Local Receipts shall be achieved this year. Therefore he proposed the Accounts on the Expenditure of Local Receipts for the fiscal year 2022-23 be re-appropriated.

The total estimated receipts under the Revenue Account is Rs. 11684.34 lakhs against an estimated expenditure of Rs. 18002.66 lakhs. The CEM in his speech stated that the deficit of Rs. 6318.62 lakhs shall be covered with Supplementary Demands for Grants from the state government. He expressed his optimistic hope that the benevolent State Government shall allocate the required funds in due course of time.

In his budget speech, the CEM highlighted some notable achievements during the fiscal year 2022-23 despite acute financial constraints. They are the successful celebration of Golden Jubilee of CADC, publication of Golden Jubilee Souvenir, free distribution of textbooks and stationeries and school uniforms, publication of textbooks on Moral Education, financial assistance to 666 piggery/ poultry/ duckery/ goat rearing/ cattle rearing/ farming.

Thousands of plant saplings were supplied by the Environment, Forest & Climate Change Department to encourage mass plantation. Under LAD, various cleanliness drives were organized and for that financial rewards were given to the participating stakeholders.

The session began with one starred and six unstarred questions put by the members. The starred question was put by Dg. Nirupam Chakma, MDC addressed to Executive Member i/c Road & Transport Department, CADC Dg. Supan Chakma, enquiring whether the sole Driving School within CADC at Udalthana which has been lying defunct since 2019 be made operational and why it was made inoperational. Dg. Supan Chakma in his reply said that the cause for the same will be provided later after due investigation by the concerned department.