Low allocation for hill councils upsets Conrad

NEW DELHI: Tura MP Conrad K. Sangma on Wednesday said the Central Assistance for Hilly Area Autonomous Councils should be provided Rs 1,000 crore as it was allocated in the last budget.
The Tura MP, who was speaking during the budget debate in the Lok Sabha, said the amount was reduced to Rs 1 crore in the revised budget and only Rs 500 crore has been allocated in this year’s Union Budget.
Prem Das Rai of the Sikkim Democratic Front also supported the Budget and demanded that Sikkim has suffered a loss of Rs 1,500 crore and the Centre must try to provide relief to the state.
Earlier, in a joint petition, the CEMs of the three autonomous district councils – KHADC, JHADC and GHADC – had shot off a letter to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley urging him to release the Rs 1,000 crore allocated to district councils in the North East. KHADC CEM P.N Syiem had alos said that a Forum of Councils under the Sixth Schedule will be held to flag issues relating to the funding. (Agencies)