NEW DELHI: The interim Budget and the last one of the BJP-led NDA government presented on Friday by Finance Minister Piyush Goyal increased allocation for the Northeastern states by 21 per cent to Rs 58,166 crore in 2019-20 over the corresponding period last year.
Goyal announced that the people of North East have received significant benefits of infrastructure development in the interim Budget. Arunachal Pradesh came on the air map recently and Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram have come on India’s rail map for the first time.
But this success of linking the landlocked states with rail and air came over a period of time, not just in one year, the opposition MPs from the region commented. Work for all these mega projects were carried on during the Congress- led UPA regime and only inaugurated after giving finishing touches by the present government, Vincent H Pala told media persons.
The Rajya Sabha MP from Meghalaya, Wansuk Syiem, said that the interim Budget is nothing but a pre-poll gimmick.
“This government has only two more months to go since elections to the Lok Sabha will be declared anytime next month and hence it is playing to the gallery to garner votes especially from NE where BJP has no substantial existence”, she said.
The finance minister said that the government will introduce container cargo movement to the North East by improving the navigation capacity of the Brahmaputra.
The projects stuck for decades like the Bogibeel rail-cum-road bridge in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have been completed, he said. With the commissioning of the Pakyong airport in Sikkim, the number of operational airports in the country has crossed 100, he added. Rail-less Meghalaya has been linked with train lines at Mendipathar, he pointed out.
The allocation for the nodal North Eastern Council has been increased from Rs 380 crores in 2018-19 to 580 crore rupees in 2019-20, the finance minister said. On the other hand, the Central Pool of Resources for North East and Sikkim has reduced from 1000 corres to 931 crores showing better utilisation of funds.
Refund of Central and integrated GST to industrial units in Northeastern region and Himalayan states has increased from Rs1500 cores to Rs 1700 crores during the same period. But this figure remains confusing since besides the eight NE states allocations of Himalayan states like Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have also been included.
Similar confusion prevails over the “other subsidy payable including for Northeastern region,” which was Rs 608 cores in 2018-19 and Rs 674 crores in the interim Budget.
