BJP, Cong spar over Central funding

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 29

The Assembly today witnessed heated exchanges between the ruling party and Opposition over conflicting claims on the issue of monetary assistance being received as Central funding by the state during the present NDA regime, headed by Narendra Modi.

The issue was raised through a query by Ravinder Ravi and Gulab Singh Thakur during question hour in the Assembly today. They had sought details about the total funds received from the Centre and under various externally aided projects from the World Bank, ADB and other agencies between January 1, 2013 and February 15, 2017.

Leader of Opposition PK Dhumal said the total monetary grant being received by Himachal after the formation of the Niti Aayog was far more than what was being given by the Planning Commission. “The CM should furnish the comparative figures as the Congress regime is indulging in a misinformation campaign to show the Centre in bad light,” he said.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh retorted by claiming that the Rs 2767-crore Central assistance being received from the Planning Commission had been stopped since 2015-16. He added that funds were being received only from the 14th Finance Commission besides the money being received under various external-aided projects from international agencies. The CM in his written reply informed that a total of Rs 3,066 crore had been received as general Central assistance and Rs 3,192 crore as special Central assistance between January 1, 2013, and February 15, 2017. The money received on the recommendation of the Finance Commission between 2013 and 2017 annually was Rs 541.05 crore, Rs 1883.47 crore, Rs 1108.87 crore, 8436.15 crore, Rs 8436.15 crore and Rs 8109.97 crore. At the same time the money received for the same period from external aided projects was Rs 371.35 crore, Rs 990.34 crore, Rs 2,209.92 crore, Rs 2,326.40 crore and Rs 2,871.65 crore.

The issue of delay in completion of development projects due to non-clearance from the Forest and Environment Ministry also echoed in the House. “I will write to the Union Minister to expedite the process as delayed approvals under the Forest Conservation Act are a major hindrance in development projects, especially roads,” he said. He said the Regional Office at Dehradun needed to inform about the formalities required to be completed within 24 hours.

The issue was raised in the House by Asha Kumari. Virbhadra informed that out of a total of 226 cases of roads and bridges sent to Dehradun in the last three years, final permission had been granted in only 43 cases and in 98 cases approval in principle had been given, while 119 cases were still pending. BJP legislators pointed out that the cases being prepared for seeking permissions lacked many documents and formalities, resulting in delay.

The BJP members, including Hans Raj, Mahneder Singh and Vikram Jaryal, also raised the issue of irregularities in grant of the Skill Development Allowance to educated jobless youth. They said ineligible institutes had come up overnight to get benefit and this was a major scam. Rs 1,000 was going directly into the account of the institutes and the youth were being given only Rs 700. Industry Minister Mukesh Agnihotri refuted the claims.