GUWAHATI, Oct 7 - Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said that the Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) must come out with a White Paper on release of funds to the northeastern States and the non-submission of Utilisation Certificates by the States.
In a statement here today, Gogoi said Union Minister of State for DoNER Dr Jitendra Singh must avoid double speak by asking the NE States to expedite fund utilisation and submit the Utilisation Certificates on time on the one hand and blaming the Ministry of Finance for non-release of Rs 900 crore to DoNER on the other hand. �The DoNER has been created exclusively for the development of the Northeast region. But the very purpose has been defeated as fund flow from DoNER has slowed down during the last two fiscals,� he said.
Gogoi pointed out that the percentage of utilisation of Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) has been a whopping 83.37 per cent (1998-99 to 2015-16). Of the Rs 2,629.50 crore released under NLCPR, the State Government has submitted Utilisation Certificates amounting to Rs 2,192.40 crore. Of the 619 sanctioned projects, 373 have been completed and 246 are going on. Under NEC funded 66 numbers of schemes, Rs 41,196.90 lakh has been released and Utilisation Certificates amounting to Rs 30,814.72 lakh were submitted as on September 2015.
Gogoi said the slowing down of fund flow from DoNER, coupled with the change in funding pattern and the withdrawal of Special Category Status by the present dispensation at the Centre, have adversely affected the pace of development in the region as a whole.
