Monday, Jun 23, 2003
Monday, Jun 23, 2003 |
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Kerala
By Roy Mathew
While some reform legislations had already been enacted, others would be coming up before the Assembly in the current and subsequent sessions. These include the Fiscal Responsibility Bill. Law and policy reforms throughout Asia were a major initiative of the ADB. A number of States in India were receiving assistance from the ADB for law and policy reforms. Several of these initiatives are aimed at aiding privatisation in various sectors, especially the power sector, and increased level of operation of international financial agencies in the country. The ADB has provided Rs. 4.6 crores as technical assistance for drafting the Bill on fiscal responsibility and administrative orders to go with it and amending the model VAT law. Of this, the VAT law had already been enacted by the State, though it could not be implemented this year. The Fiscal Responsibility Bill is expected to be introduced during the current session. The ADB has also provided Rs. 3.7 crores for preparing the Kerala Power Sector Development Program for which the ADB is to give a loan of more than Rs. 600 crores. The present assistance is for review of existing legislation and rules and regulations applicable to the power sector and drafting of a suitable reform Bill. The Bill would incorporate regulatory aspects, tariff reforms and sector restructuring, taking into account similar reform laws already adopted in others States in India. States such as Haryana, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat have received similar assistance for drafting legislations. Kerala has already enacted a legislation to enhance the punishment for power theft on the recommendations of the ADB consultants. This would help private companies entering the distribution sector. (The State Electricity Board did not really need the legislation as disconnection is a good deterrent in a monopolistic situation). It also enacted a law to check unhealthy practices in the labour sector. More reform legislation including legislation aimed at simplifying labour laws are on the anvil under MGP.
A legislation to enable enforcement of quality standards, amendments to the Consumer Protection Rules, a modified Single Window Clearance Bill, Right to Information Bill and legislation on water harvesting are among the other proposals under the MGP.
A comprehensive Bill on town and country planning is also planned.
The Panchayat Act is proposed to be amended to introduce a health cess.
The laws, rules and orders will be amended to facilitate social audit, revenue assessment and human resource management in local self-Governments.
At the State level, the Fiscal Responsibility law will seek to provide for reduction of fiscal deficit and elimination of revenue deficit by 2007.
It will require presentation of a fiscal policy statement and fiscal policy strategy statement with the State Budget.
A public expenditure review committee would be constituted to keep watch on the expenditure.
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