Northeast can be developed as an organic region: PM

Remarks Assam govt has to give account of funds it has spent

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that the whole of Northeast had the potential to become supplier of organic fruits and vegetables. “There is a huge demand for organic products nowadays. Northeast is the only region in the country, which can grow organic products and can cater to this huge market. It will help the region grow economically,” Modi said here on Tuesday.

Praising Sikkim, which has turned completely organic, Modi said other states of the region, including Assam, should strive like Sikkim and become completely organic. “People nowadays are rejecting chemicals. Health has become a priority for everyone. Let Northeast take the lead in catering to this huge market,” said Modi.

On Monday, Modi inaugurated Sikkim Organic Festival 2016 and said: “Today, the whole world has recognised this effort of the farmers of Sikkim.” He said the winds of this organic effort would now spread across the country.

Taking a dig at the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government of Assam, Modi said it has of late become ‘fashionable’ on the part of the state government to attack the Centre despite it failing in giving account of its expenses. “The Assam government has to give account of funds it has spent. Those were people’s money that you had spent and so you have to give account of all the expenses.”

The Assam government had been complaining about tightening of central funds to the state since Modi came to power. The Centre in recent months had cut funds for many centrally-sponsored schemes in the state as many Assam government departments could not submit utilisation certificates for central funds for those schemes. There were charges and allegations that the Assam government could not provide utilisation certificates for Rs 11,000 crore of central funds.

The Assam government claimed in spite of submission of utilisation certificates for Rs 5,236.98 crore worth of schemes in 2013-14 in respect to centrally-funded schemes such as Indira Awaas Yojana, rural employment scheme, mid-day meal programme, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and National Rural Health Mission, besides flood management, only Rs 2,591.62 crore had been received against the total central fund allocation of Rs 7,161.57 crore.

On Tuesday, he addressed a rally, jointly organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), at Kokrajhar in Assam’s Bodoland. This came close on the heels of BJP virtually inking a prepoll alliance with BPF for the upcoming Assam Assembly polls. However, against expectations, Modi did not announce any monetary package for Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), currently ruled by BPF.

Earlier, expectations were running high that Modi would announce a Rs 1,000-crore package for BTC. BPF was an alliance partner in the Gogoi-led Congress government in Assam since 2003, but severed its ties in 2014. It has 12 members in the state Assembly.