Gogoi urges Centre to release pending funds to state

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today urged the Centre to initiate steps for the release of Rs 20,193 crore pending to the state to carry on developmental works.
Submitting a memorandum to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi, Gogoi said the amount has been pending from various departments and oil companies.
"I request you (Jaitley) to kindly consider the matters favourably on urgent basis," Gogoi said in the memorandum which was made available to the media here.
Out of the total amount, Rs 10,000 crore are the royalty due from oil companies and Rs 9,188 crore will be the anticipated loss during 2015-16 due to cut in budgetary allocations to the state.

Also, Rs 1,254 crore of the central sales tax compensation from 2010 to 2013 along with Rs 471 crore of balance grants under 13th Finance Commission have been mentioned in the memorandum as due amount.
"I would like to draw your kind attention to the inordinate delay in release of funds to the state government from the Centre.

I had also submitted a Memorandum to you on May 11, 2015, highlighting the concerns of the state and issues which need your intervention.
"As there is no progress in these matters and in view of the reduced budgetary support of Central Government, I would like to bring out these issues again to your kind notice for early and positive consideration," Gogoi said in the Memorandum to the Finance Minister.

The Chief Minister also requested Jaitley to increase budgetary allocations and financial support to the state at least by 12-15 per cent in the current year compared to the allocations for the year 2014-15, in view of increasing demand for development and inflation.