GUWAHATI:
The Assam Trinamool Congress, on August 8, protested against the Centre’s decision to curtail the power of states by implementing the centrally-sponsored schemes through the North Eastern Development Finance Corporation (NEDFi).
“It is only because of financial indiscipline of the state governments, that the Centre has taken such a decision. Now the development of Assam will be based on loans from various internal and external funding agencies,” said Assam TMC president Ripun Bora.
The Centre’s decision to implement central schemes through NEDFi instead of state governments, came after the non-utilisation of funds provided by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER). Now the NEDFi will be the Central Nodal Agency (CNA) to fund and monitor the implementation of category-2 schemes of MDoNER.
“And now the constitutional right of the state has been curtailed only because the state has failed to utilise Rs 21,000 crore central fund released for implementation of various schemes,” Bora said.
“It is not a good signal for the state. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who dreamt of making Assam one of the five developed states of the country, should take up the issue with Prime Minister and restore the state’s power in implementing the central schemes. The state government also take away financial indiscipline in this regard,” he further said.
Bora further spoke about Assam losing crores every year because the special category status has been withdrawn and the GST compensation to the state has been stopped.
“The Centre has already withdrawn the special category status from Assam. The state has been enjoying this status since 1969. Assam has lost over Rs 6,000 crore every year due to withdrawal of special category status,” Bora said.
“The Central government has also closed giving GST compensation to the state, due to which Assam has lost Rs 3,500 crore. It has also taken away the Rs 900 crore that is to be released to the state government under 15th Finance commission,” he added.