Gogoi urges PM to continue with central assistance

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to continue with the earlier approved pattern of fund allocations under the Special Plan Assistance (SPA), Untied Special Central Assistance (USCA) and Additional Central Assistance (ACA) for Assam and other NE states.
In a letter to the Prime Minister sent yesterday, Gogoi said, "It is pertinent to mention that special category states like Assam were earlier getting SPA, USCA and ACA on a 90:10 basis.
"The funding pattern of Centrally Sponsored Schemes should not be altered to our disadvantage. It is imperative that Assam and other north eastern states continue to retain their Special Category status along with the earlier approved pattern of fund allocations under SPA, Untied SCA and ACA", said the letter, a copy of which was released to the media today.

"I may also mention here that the State Budget for 2015-16 which was presented to Assam Assembly on 10th March 2015 was based on the usual assumptions relating to growth in resources and Central Assistance", he pointed out.
"Thus the sudden changes in the pattern of funding for centrally sponsored schemes as well as the changes in central share of many flagship programmes, block grants, etc announced in the Union budget has created an unexpected burden on state resources", the Chief Minister said.
"You are aware that the Assam Legislative Assembly recently passed a unanimous resolution that there should be no dilution in the status of Assam as a Special Category State.

"There will be considerable uncertainty about the requirements of financing the state Plan and other important priorities for special category states, unless there is a clear assurance from the Centre about meeting the requirements", Gogoi said.

"Further, it is noted some schemes like National e-Governance Action Plan, National Scheme for Modernisation of Police and Other Forces, Backward Region Grant Fund as well as many block grants like the Special Plan Assistance, etc. have been delinked from Union support.
"For continuing projects under these schemes, the states will have to make direct allocation from their own resources thus leaving very little for any new schemes or priorities.

"I, therefore, suggest that the union government continue to meet the expenditures incurred under these schemes to the extent of its earlier agreed share", he said.
"For states like Assam, which rely heavily on the financial support from the Centre owing to a variety of reasons and will continue to do so in the immediate future, the quantum of union financial support will have to increase even further", the Chief Minister suggested.
"You have mentioned that the replacement of the Planning Commission with the NITI Aayog has been done with the objective of making it a forum for forging a national vision of development.

"The NITI Aayog should study the social and growth parameters of all states and draw up Special Plans and Programmes for those states, where key indicators of development are below the national average," he said
"It should examine ways that relatively backward states can be brought up to match the level of comparatively developed states", he added.