NEWDELHI: North Eastern Council (NEC) despite being the nodal agency for development of the entire Northeastern region has been allocated around Rs 15 crore lesser than the previous year’s budget which will affect the integrated progress of the states.
While Rs 885.18 crore was sanctioned for the Council in 2019, only Rs 869.90 crore was sanctioned this year. Normally, the allocation to bodies like NEC is increased every year.
But for that matter, there is less allocation in the non-lapsable poll of central resources and even overall funds to the DoNER Ministry. The Ministry has been sanctioned Rs 3048.73 crore which is only about Rs 48 crore more than the previous year.
Allocation for NLPCR also came down from Rs 1227.75 crore in 2019 to Rs 1225.75 crore this year.
According to a finance ministry official, a lesser fund available in the kitty is considered to be better since it boosts better utilisation.
The sources also tried to justify the lesser amount to the Ministry and NEC on the grounds that the same were more than the revised estimates of 2019 if there is a comparison. But the revised estimate of 2020 could also be further less.
The Northeastern region will be benefitted by allocations from other ministries but a state wise analysis showed that only Assam will get the lion’ s share from the budget of this year.
Other mega schemes like common power grid were already announced earlier in the cabinet.
Assam has also been allocated higher amount because of the size and population of the state and for implementation of Bodo agreement in the Bodoland area.
Mixed reaction
Considering the position of Meghalaya, both the Congress MPs from the state- Vincent H Pala and Wansuk Syiem criticised the same. ‘’This year’s budget has nothing for the hill state and is simply disappointing,” they said.
However, Agatha Sangma, an NPP MP whose party is an alliance partner of the BJP-led NDA at the Centre was happy since it focused on women, children and environment.
“I am very hopeful seeing that the budget is specifically focusing on caring society which focuses on women, children and the environment,”Agatha said.
According to the Tura MP, the international environmental commitments are being taken seriously in the budget.
“The focus on infrastructure, tourism and culture will see greater benefit for the North East too”, she said.
