GUWAHATI, Aug 13 - Expressing concern over the �inaction� of the Centre over the resolution unanimously passed by the Assam Assembly during the last Budget session urging the Centre to continue the �Special category State� status for Assam and to ensure the funding pattern of Central assistance to the State is either 100 per cent Central share or the existing 90 per cent Central grant and 10 per cent State share, the Assembly today again unanimously passed a resolution calling for necessary action on the issue on the part of the Centre.
��the Assembly resolves again that the Assam government take up the matter with the Centre, and that the Centre ensures either a 100 per cent funding pattern or as per the 90:10 funding pattern practised earlier,� the resolution said.
Moving the resolution on behalf of the State government, Planning and Development Minister Ajanta Neog said that the March resolution was sent to all the departments and authorities concerned of the Centre but the latter failed to respond in a positive manner, adversely impacting the implementation of various development projects.
The Centre was also sitting over a similar proposal sent jointly by the Chief Ministers of eight northeastern States, she added. �This will jeopardize the development process of the backward State,� she said.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, while mentioning that he had taken up the matter with both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, said that he questioned the NITI Ayog as well about the cut in fund flow.
Gogoi, who was replying to a question by Manoranjan Das (BJP) whether the �Special Category Status� to Assam had been discontinued or not, said that as many as 12 schemes with 90:10 funding pattern had been removed by the Centre and the funding pattern made 50:50 in another five projects.
The Chief Minister said that by suspending new industry registration under the North East Industry and Investment Policy (NEIIP), the Centre had scuttled the region�s industrial process.
