Accountability on Fund Utilisation
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: October 08 2015 -

As expected Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space Dr Jitendra Singh during the first meeting of the Executive Committee of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in New Delhi asked the Northeastern States to expedite the process of Central fund utilisation by them.

If ever there is anything to be read in between the lines, the Centre is quite sure of the fact that most states in the Northeast are not able to keep the correct pace on utilisation of funds provided.

However, one aspect worth noting is the inordinate delay in the completion of various developmental projects sponsored by the centre.

Moreover, the States in the region has also developed a normalization of the failure to produce Utilisation Certificates on time besides delay in submission of DPRs and inability to provide its share of funding.

From the perspective of the ‘benevolent’ Centre, these factors are responsible for projects getting delayed. However, what worries the Centre as of now is the consequent escalation in the budget that leads to further difficulties in timely completion of the projects.

Now, any observers would once again wonder why it has become so difficult for the Northeastern States to execute plans envisioned for the Centre.

Just as the Government of India has enough questions, the State Governments in the Northeast also have developed the skills on finding answers to all sorts of uneasy questions.

With India’s special need to focus on South East Asia, the Narendra Modi led Government has stressed on revitalizing existing institutions for the region like the North East Council.

The need to empower the Northeast region has been one of the key initiatives for the success of India’s Act East policy.

However, the States seem to be still caught in a fix over kick-starting single window check-posts and limiting the list of items for cross-border trade to products exclusively originating from the region.

Though the representatives of Northeastern States are well aware of the multifarious political and social issues that have acted against expediting the pace of development, no governments have been able to put the record straight with their issues.

For a State like Manipur, it seems there is an utter failure to assertively articulate its issues and settle problems based on the principle of true democratic tradition.

Perhaps this failure is the mother of all failures dogging the State resulting in gradual annihilation of accountability.