NEW DELHI, May 11 - Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi may be clamouring for additional funds, but its utilisation of the sanctioned North Eastern Council (NEC) funds has nosedived. The NEC has sanctioned 285 projects at an approved cost of Rs 2,865.63 crore during the last three years and an amount of Rs 1,071.65 crore has been released till March 31, informed Minister of State for DoNER Dr Jitendra Singh in a Lok Sabha reply.
In 2015-2016, six projects were sanctioned at a sanctioned cost of Rs 2,886.11 lakh, of which the Centre has released Rs 896.23 lakh. The utilisation was nil as was the State�s contribution, the Minister added.
In 2014-2015, Assam was sanctioned five projects at an approved cost of Rs 2,347.46 lakh, of which the Centre released Rs 614.91 lakh. But Assam could utilise only Rs 82.06 lakh. The utilisation percentage was 13.35 and the State�s share was zero, Dr Singh informed.
Moreover, Assam was sanctioned nine projects in 2013-2014 at a sanctioned cost of Rs 3,700.69 lakh, out of which R 1,178.24 lakh was released. But Assam Government could utilise only Rs 69 lakh, which is 5.86 per cent. Further, the Assam Government�s contribution as State share was nil, the Minister added.
