Over Rs 13,000 cr enroute to NE 'vanished'
Source: The Sangai Express / Courtesy: The Sentinel

Guwahati, August 23 2014 : Over Rs 13,000 crore funds sanctioned by various central ministries never reached the Northeast, Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Gen (retd) VK Singh said yesterday.

"It vanished in the finance ministry.

However, it is a notional amount.

The amount is nowhere now.

It is just on papers," Singh admitted.

Singh refused to admit that the Northeast was taken for a ride, but instead blamed it on the "system" .

"The system has been such.

Nobody has taken care to take stock of the progress and ensure proper utilization of the NLCPR funds.

The wrongs done in the past will have to be rectified.

The DoNER will advice the central ministries on the matter and try to ensure that the 10 per cent allocation of the ministries is spent properly," Singh said after the conclusion of the conference of NE chief ministers here.

The Government of India had 15 years back taken a decision to the effect that the Central Ministries are to utilize 10 percent of their budgetary allocation each year in the NE Region.

Keeping in view the fact that a good number of Central Ministries are unable to utilize 10 percent of the budgetary resources in the NE Region, the Centre later decided to create the Non�Lapsable Central Pool of Resources for the North Eastern States and Sikkim from the year 1998�99 .

Over Rs 13,000 cr enroute to NE 'vanished'

The funds sanctioned to the State Governments from the Non�Lapsable Central Pool of Resources are in addition to the State Plan resources and are accounted for outside the State Plan.

"We have now asked the States for concrete proposal which we can push forward.

We will give our suggestion to the ministries," Singh said.

The Union Minister also insisted that the States must generate their own resources as well.

"The Centre can just give assistance.

We can't have a condition where a State's contribution is zero.

They can't expect the Centre to take care of everything," Singh said.

The two�day conference of chief ministers was also addressed by the Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and the Union Civil Aviation Minister.

A number of State specific and regional issues that were perceived to be obstructing the development process and hindering smooth integration of the NE region with the national mainstream were discussed.

"There was unanimity in advocating higher levels of allocation for NLCPR and NEC schemes besides stressing the need to modify the funding pattern under these schemes keeping in view resource deficiency of NE states.

A common need for connecting State capitals by four�lane highways, broad gauge rail link and direct flights to and fro Delhi was articulated," official sources said.

The DoNER minister stressed the need for showcasing some successful projects and adoption of best practices.

He also emphasized on setting up of a free trade zone for the NER.