Dwelling unit target under IAY curtailed by Centre: Assam govt

Assam government today claimed that the Centre has cut the target of dwelling units to be built under Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) in the state by nearly 60,000 units to around 1.23 lakh in 2015-16.
"On April 16, 2015, we were informed through letter from the Centre that 1,83,171 houses would be constructed under IAY through 50:50 share with the state government. This was revised in September that the Centre would spend 90 per cent of the cost," Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Rockybul Hussain said at a press conference.
"However, a letter on November 16 from the Centre informed us that the target for IAY has been set as 1,23,193 houses for the current fiscal. This is an anti-poor step," he added.

Hussain also mentioned Annapurna scheme, where the Centre has cut distribution of free rice to around 26,000 aged persons excluded in the old-age pension.
Likewise, the Centre had also cut allocation for the state under the Backward Region Grant Fund, he added.
Hussain also claimed that the Centre had withdrawn grants for giving salaries to persons hired under contractual agreement for different departments.