Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today alleged that there has been reduction in funding for central schemes after the NITI Aayog replaces the Planning Commission and sought change in funding pattern for hill states' developmental projects.
Addressing a public meeting in Lambloo here, he said before the formation of the Aayog, Himachal Pradesh used to receive central assistance in the ratio 90:10 for various schemes as, being a hill state, it enjoyed a special category status.
After the formation of the NITI Aayog, funds for the state under centrally-sponsored schemes reduced drastically and special industrial package was withdrawn, the chief minister alleged.
He said it was the Centre's responsibility to ensure equitable distribution of funds for development of states and special provision should be made for hill states as the cost of development was much higher here due to difficult topography and harsh weather conditions.
"Hill states should have separate provision of funds because of their topography but the NITI Aayog had ignored those," Singh said, adding the state did not receive any funds under General Central Assistance during fiscals 2015-16 and 2016-17.
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