SHILLONG, MAR 10: Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma on Thursday said the state is not receiving funds at the “mercy” of the union government because the formulae for transferring of resources cannot be tampered based on ‘political reasons’.
“There is a need to dispel that the state governments are receiving funds (shares transferred by centre) through the mercy of the Government of India,” Sangma said while replying to a call attention moved by Opposition leader Donkupar Roy in the assembly.
Terming that such perception is wrong, Sangma said, “No state governments is receiving whatever entitlements based on the mercy of the centre… it is our entitlement and it cannot be tampered upon.”
According to him, there has been a general perception whether state has been affected because of political reasons as the state government is ruled by Congress and union government under a BJP led NDA regime.
“It is not true that the union government can actually reduce the funds by manipulating with the figures. Whatever is entitlement is of the state government it will keep coming as per recommendation of 14th Finance Commission,” he added.
Meanwhile, Sangma informed that the state government will however continue to demand from the centre for restoring of the Special Block Grants for the special category states, which Meghalaya is one of them.
“This is being taken up by all the north eastern states. I have also taken up the same at different level and will continue to do so with the Centre,” Sangma said.
According to him, the centre has decided to withdraw the special block grants, which was passed on to all the special category states which include the NE states, after the 14th FC have recommended to increase the 32 per cent shares transferred to the state to 42 per cent.
“The contention of union government has been that since there is an increase from 32 per cent to 42 per cent it is already substantial, therefore states are expected to have enough money and resources,” he said.
Opposing to the decision, Sangma said, “This (withdrawing of the grant) is like setting a same benchmark for all the states of the country. We feel this formulae that the centre has adopted is wrong.”
“All along successive governments in the past have understood the complexity of the problems of the north east and the huge gap in respect of development of this region and with the rest of the country,” he said.
According to him, with the withdrawal of the grants, there will be no other special dispensation left for the states of north east to be able to have additional resources which are required for the special category states to embarked upon various developmental programmes to be able to catch up with the rest of the country.
Therefore, he said Meghalaya and other states in the NE are demanding that the special block grants which is passed on to special category states as special plan assistance should be restored.-By Our Reporter
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