NE CMs for 90 pc Central funding of all schemes

Guwahati/Agartala, Feb 25 (IANS) Chief Ministers of northeastern states have reiterated to maintain the funding pattern to 90:10 ratio in all central government sponsored schemes and projects including Smart City projects, officials said on Tuesday.
The demand to revise the funding pattern for all schemes and projects from 50:50 ratio to 90:10 ratio was raised by the chief ministers of northeastern states in the ongoing three-day Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Conclave 2020 in Guwahati.
The NITI Aayog sponsored three-day event, which began on Monday, was attended by chief ministers, officials from the northeastern states, DoNER Minister, officials from central ministries, experts and academicians, representatives from the civil society and international development organisations.
Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has demanded revision of existing 50:50 fund sharing pattern to 90:10 for various schemes and projects like Smart City for the northeastern states.
Deb also urged NITI Aayog’s support for pursuing central government to sanction more power and sufficient funds to North Eastern Council (NEC) so that each state of the region can get proportionate share of required funding.
The funding pattern of many central government schemes for the special category states including eight northeastern states was in the ratio of 90:10, where 90 percent of the total expenditure was borne by the central government and 10 percent contributed by the state concerned.
Deb also said that the NITI Aayog may also provide active support for simplification of sanctioning procedure for the projects taken up under externally aided project by reducing the number of clearances required to be obtained from different ministries.
“Tripura government is focused to achieve double digit growth of economy of the state and sustain the same in the long run, through concerted efforts to make the state a trading hub and gateway to northeastern states,” Deb said. (IANS)