Nagaland Govt adopts austerity measures

KOHIMA, February 2: Nagaland Cabinet reviewed the financial situation in the State and decided to take immediate drastic steps to cut down the expenditure in the face of mounting fiscal deficit, reports PTI. Finance Commissioner Lalthara said here yesterday that the state Cabinet in a meeting recently reviewed the fiscal position and expressed serious concern over the mounting fiscal deficit in the State. The Government decided to effect 50 per cent cut on all non-priority state plan expenditure excluding earmarked programmes and loan components, salaries and grants to public undertakings. As per the Cabinet decision, no additional fund requirement be considered from any department except for the purpose of unavoidable increase in salary and law-and-order related expenditure.