Supplementary estimates

SUPPLEMENTARY estimates of expenditure for 1925-26 have been prepared by the Punjab Government and will be presented to the Legislative Council at the forthcoming session. It is explained that the estimates will be of two kinds: (1) those involving fresh supply of funds for new services not contemplated in the budget and (2) those regarding which the funds already granted are found insufficient. One part of these demands relates to development and beneficent departments for which it is proposed to allot additional expenditure consequent on the partial remission of provincial contribution. We are told that schemes are not yet complete as to how to utilise the “windfall” fully, and that the government plans for remission of taxation are not complete. For the present, however, the government proposes to spend Rs 13.78 lakh recurring and Rs 36.26 lakh non-recurring or in all Rs 50 lakh on educational and medical schemes in addition to what is already sanctioned. The second part of the supplementary demands relates to an increase of Rs 39,780 in police expenditure, of which over Rs 34,000 is for additional police for Jullundur and Hoshiarpur districts. The local officers are said to be of the opinion that the retention of a force of extra mounted police in Doaba is still necessary owing to the absence of adequate reserve of regular police to cope with any recrudescence of terrorist activity. The third part of the demands relates to land revenue for an expenditure of Rs 45.81 lakh, necessitated by the rejection without discussion of the demand by the Council at its last session.