Nishank for restoration of special category status

Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank today urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to restore the status of special category state to Uttarakhand under which the Central assistance is in the ratio of 90:10.

In a letter to the prime minister, Nishank said keeping in view the tough geographical conditions and economic-backwardness of the state, the Centre had given Uttarakhand the status of special category state in the 49th meeting of the National Development Council in 2001.

In continuation of it, the Planning Commission in its notification in 2001 had clearly mentioned Uttarakhand would be treated as a special category state. This decision was based on the concept of inclusive growth, Nishank emphasised.

Despite the decision of the Planning Commission, he rued, Uttarakhand is not getting its due share.

Under the special category status, Central assistances are 90 per cent grants and 10 per cent loans.

The CM requested the Prime Minister to rectify the discrepancy in this regard. Referring to a letter of the Planning Commission, Nishank stated, in response to his letter, the said demand of his government had been rejected. Nishank made it clear in his letter, he had never made any mention of giving 100 per cent grant to Uttarakhand. He pointed out, all his letters requested for grants, for the state, in the ratio of 90:10 only in the Centrally-sponsored schemes as being given to the other such states.

The CM has also stated, the hilly region in Uttarakhand, with 65 per cent of land in the state being under forest cover, as being highly fragile when compared to other special category states.