Gogoi for White Paper on receipt of Central funds

The Assam government will publish a white paper soon on the status of Central funds received by the state from the current BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre and the also by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in the last few years.

"We are going to publish a white paper within this month to show as to how much funds, we have received during the present NDA government and during the UPA government in the past. The white paper will cover all aspects related to the central funds and financial assistance. While the North Eastern Council (NEC) had allocated Rs.312.39 crore for Assam during 2014-15 and only Rs.71.84 crore had been released so far," said Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to the reporters.

"Similarly, an amount of Rs.289.63 crore had been allocated for Assam by the Centre under the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) in the 2014-15 fiscal. However, we have received only Rs.151.15 crore against this allocation so far," the minister added.

Gogoi also expressed concern over the statistics of recent socio-economic census and stated that the government had already formed a committee to study the survey results so that we can launch special programmes for the deprived people.

"The census indicated that one-third people of Assam are still deprived of lands and homes and tehre aslo exists illiteracy. We have taken this seriously and emphasis will be given on existing schemes as well as on new schemes to help under-privilegd section," he said.

Gogoi, however, expressed happiness that Assam, despite its problems and backwardness, have stood ahead of some of the developed states in some aspects in the census.

"Our percentage of literacy is 72.19 percent against all India average of 72 percent only and we are placed above many BJP ruled states like Rajasthan (66.11 percent), Madhya Pradesh (69.32 percent) and Jharkhand (66.41 percent)," Gogoi said.

"Assam is also placed above Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Punjab as far as the percentage of rural household having earning between Rs.5,000 to Rs.10,000 and above Rs.10,000. While Assam has 18.20 percent rural households having earnings between Rs.5,000 to Rs.10,000, the percentage of rural households having more than Rs.10,000 earning is 11.05 percent," he said.