Finance panel award to Meghalaya disappointing, says UDP
SHILLONG: While hailing the 14th Finance Commission recom-mendation of a record 10 % increase in the states’ share in the Union taxes, which has been accepted by the Centre, the UDP has expressed disappointment over Meghalaya being awarded the least of only Rs.1,770 crore as compared to Nagaland ( Rs.18,475 crore).
“This has come as no surprise to the State of Meghalaya considering the gross financial mismanagement and lack of good governance which has really affected the financial health of the state to a great extent”, UDP Working President Jemino Mawthoh said .
The recommendation of the 14th Finance Commission speaks volume of the inability of the present Government led by Mukul Sangma to run the affairs of the state, he said.
With the new dispensation at the Centre, the future of the state looks bleak and dim. As someone pointed out during the UPA Government, the Chief Minister comes back with a lot of money from Delhi, but now he comes back with guidelines. Where does this leave us as a people and the state? he asked.
The Government needs to sit and introspect as to where did things go wrong, he said.
“Making tall claims that the State has made great strides in different areas has proven to be rhetoric only. There is no real development as far as raising the standard of living and quality of life of the people is concerned”, the UDP leader said.
According to the UDP leader, the Government has taken people for a ride by mesmerizing the people with activities which are superficial and unproductive with huge spending while failing to address the issues of real development.
“The people of the state need to know why we have fallen so low in all spheres of development. The Government has to answer the poor performance which does not augur well for the state of Meghalaya”, he added.
As per the report Nagaland will receive Rs 18,475 crores followed by Mizoram ( Rs 12,183 cr), Manipur ( Rs 10,227 cr), Tripura ( Rs 5,103 cr and Assam ( Rs 3,379 cr only).
A compositional shift in the Central allocations to States between tax devolutions and plan grants has been recommended too.