SHILLONG: Leader of the opposition Mukul Sangma on Monday rebuked the Centre for withholding funds under various schemes and “diverting” the money when small states like Meghalaya are suffering.
Sangma was participating in the special motion moved by Congress legislator PT Sawkmie on the second day of the autumn session of the Assembly on Monday.
Sangma was particularly referring to the schemes to be implemented by the North Eastern Council and also those under the Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources.
“Is the Centre forthcoming? Is the money coming? Even the entitlement of the state is also withheld. A big manipulator is sitting in Delhi to manipulate the states,” he said and added that states were deprived of necessary resources.
Last year, the northeastern states had raised the issue of reviewing the funding pattern to encourage fast growth in specific sectors.
The motion was to discuss overall development in the state, the need to seek more financial assistance from the Centre and earmark a budget provision for the 11 districts in Meghalaya.
Continuing his criticisms, Sangma said the Centre did not “act” on its Act East Policy, which was Look East Policy under the UPA government. “Bolta kuch aur, karta kuch aur (the Centre does not walk the talk)… With development agenda, we don’t want to play politics,” he added.
On central support, Sangma said the Centre was withholding the fund with an eye on the 2019 election. “It (the Centre) retains and diverts it (money) to something else. It is agonising, painful for a small state like Meghalaya.”
The opposition leader added that the Assembly should come up with a resolution to impress upon the Centre to release the fund and the state should aggressively pursue the matter.
Sangma also targeted the MDA government by saying the Centre was dictating it and he feared that it would threaten the sustainability of democracy.
“Get more funds and transform the landscape of the state. I am seeing silence from the state government, may be they are scared of Narendra Modi,” Sangma taunted the state government.
He said the state government should not take the affiliation it has with the central government for granted. “Follow up these issues with the Centre, we are with you,” he added.
