Guwahati: Unhappy over inadequate flow of development fund from the Centre, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday said the Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) must come out with a White Paper on release of funds to the North Eastern States and the non-submission of utilisation certificates (UCs) by the N-E States.
Gogoi said Union Minister of State for DoNER Dr Jitendra Singh must avoid double speak by asking the NE States to expedite fund utilisation and submit the UCs on time on the one hand and blaming the Union Ministry of Finance for non-release of Rs 900 crore to DoNER on the other.
“DoNER was created exclusively for the development of the North East region. But the very purpose has been defeated as fund flow from DoNER has slowed down during the last two fiscals,” he said.
Gogoi pointed out that the percentage of utilisation of Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) has been at 83.37 per cent (1998-99 to 2015-16).
Of the Rs 2629.50 crore released under NLCPR, Assam government has submitted utilisation certificates amounting to Rs 2192.40 crore.
Of the 619 sanctioned projects, 373 have been completed while working is going on in rest 246 projects.
Under NEC funded 66 numbers of schemes, Rs 41196.90 lakh has been released and UCs amounting to Rs 30814.72 lakh submitted as on September 2015.
Gogoi said the slowing down of fund flow from DoNER coupled with the change in funding pattern and the withdrawal of Special Category Status to Assam by the NDA government at the Centre had adversely affected the pace of development in the region as a whole.
“The indifferent approach of the Centre is tantamount to grave injustice to the people of the North East,” he added.
