AGARTALA, April 24 - In the first-ever NITI Aayog governing body meeting, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has appealed the Centre to simplify the process of releasing of Central share to the States in all flagship schemes.
The Centre may release its share in two installments, the first release in April and the next after six months to ensure fund flow on regular basis �, he said while speaking in the meeting held in Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi on Sunday.
Urging the Centre to ensure 90:10 funding pattern to all NE States, he said the States should have the flexibility in the choice of components, design, and implementation of all Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) and State level committees headed by the Chief Secretary should be empowered for it.
Noting that the National Food Security Act is a legal obligation on the Central Government, Sarkar said a large number of needy households in urban and rural areas still remain out of the Act due to a upper cap.
The Chief Minister said against an entitlement of 100 days employment per household per year under the national flagship MGNREGA. �Our State has been able to provide an average employment of 50/55 days per year since beginning,� he said. �The Central Government needs to raise the guarantee to 200 days of employment per household per year. The wage rate also needs to be enhanced appropriately�, he added.
�In addition, the system of payment of wages needs to be simplified to eliminate delays and inconvenience. The employment guarantee needs to be extended to urban areas where a large number of poor reside in slums, often in sub-human conditions�, he pointed out.
The CM also appealed NITI Aayog to generate productive employment by filling up vacant posts in different departments.
In his speech, he also laid stress on formation of a mechanism for consultation and interaction between the States and NITI Aayog in a systematic manner to strengthen federal structure.
