NEW DELHI, July 19 - Clarifying the stand of the Centre, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that change in funding pattern to the North Eastern States was due to a particular change of methodology and also the mode of assisting the States.
Now, there is a categorisation of the Hill States and the Northeast States, for which special treatment has been given by the 14th Finance Commission. In addition, the States have been given a much higher allocation; instead of 32 per cent. So, the net available to almost every State is much higher under the 14th Finance Commission than it was earlier, he said.
"If you take what has been reduced and then take the net total along with what has been added, the net that every State gets under the 14th Finance Commission is much, much higher than what it was getting under the 13th Finance Commission, Jaitley claimed.
Earlier, during the Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha, Ripun Bora protesting the change in funding pattern, said that the Finance Minister had on the plea of recommendation of the 14th Finance Commission, discontinued the `Special Category State' status to the State of Assam and other North Eastern States.
There has been very widespread resentment and protest all over the north-eastern region.
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Meghalaya and declared in front of all the Chief Ministers of the NE States that the `Special Category States' status would be restored and the 90:10 fund system would also be restored.
