Experts rice against Rs 2-a-kg scheme

BHUBANESWAR: Finance Minister Prafulla Chandra Ghadei on Monday started the pre-budget consultation process before finalising the State budget for 2012-13.  Though experts are of the opinion that the State’s economy has improved over the years, they disapproved of the subsidy on different schemes announced by the Government. Several experts at the meeting, including former minister of state for Finance Panchanan Kanungo, maintained that the State Government should stop the Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme which is a burden on the exchequer.The State spends Rs 958 crore on the scheme which is quite unproductive, he reasoned. Others at the meeting also raised the issue and advised the Government to do away with the scheme to boost the economy further.The experts also maintained that though the economy has improved, priorities have not been fixed properly and there is mismanagement. Most of them said priority should be given to agriculture sector and more budgetary allocation made for it.Besides, they wanted implementation of the Hota Committee report on mining in Odisha to raise revenue of the State.Noted economist Baidyanath Mishra wanted  the Government to give priority  and  increase allocation to the agriculture sector. Kanungo demanded waiver of electricity charge on lift irrigation points for the farmers and hike in old-age pension to Rs 500.The meeting, presided over by Ghadei, was attended among others by former Finance secretaries Prasanna Mishra and Ardhendu Sekhar Sarangi. The pre-budget exercise will continue on Tuesday. The Finance Minister will meet trade bodies and associations, and non-government organisations.