Govt seeks financial support from Centre

Ravi S.Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 6

The state government today urged the Centre to provide financial assistance in the upcoming Union Budget. It includes exemption of HUDA from the ambit of Income Tax, help for irrigation and road projects. The demand was raised during the pre-budget consultation meeting of finance ministers from states with Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Speaking at the meeting, state Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu said relaxation in rules for HUDA would enable the state government to achieve its mission of providing housing to all. The state government faces a litmus test on the issue, especially with Opposition INLD and the Congress minutely scrutinising the functioning of the BJP government.

During the discussions, Capt Abhimanyu sought assistance for components under the agriculture sector. He said although 55 per cent people of the state depended on agriculture, their income had not increased in the last few years.

He sought higher assistance for sustenance of sugar mills to ensure remunerative prices to the cane growers and for accomplishing irrigation projects.

He lamented that the state did not receive any benefit under the Centre’s Accredited Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) since 2008 despite getting approval for projects from the Ministry of Water Resources.

He made out a case for enhancement of more power to the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) to finance infrastructure in the National Capital Region (NCR).

“Although Haryana accounted for 50 per cent area of the NCR, financial assistance to the state in the form of loans by the board had declined from Rs 567 crore in 2010-11 to Rs 187 core in 2014-15,” he said.

Moreover, he urged for help for projects like revival of mystical Saraswati river which was related to country’s heritage.

In a separate statement, Chief Minister ML Khattar said Khokhrakot in Rohtak, Rakhigarhi in Hisar and Adi Badri in Yamunanagar were among the tourist spots developed by the state.