State concerned over cut in Central funding

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 23

While NITI Aayog today asked the state government to prepare a roadmap to achieve the target of doubling farmers’ income in the next five years, the state government aired its grouse over the drastic cut in the Central funds to Himachal, saying that the cut is bound to make Aayog’s target a tough task to achieve.

Addressing the meeting here today which was attended by the ministers and state officials, NITI Aayog member Prof Ramesh Chand said that Aayog was decentralizing planning at state’s level taking it to the village level.

Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur aired state’s concern over cut in the Central funds to Himachal saying that the state used to receive the Central assistance in 90:10 ratio and continued to get the status of special category hill state before formation of NITI Aayog. But in post- NITI Aayog era, the state got a major jolt when the funds were reduced drastically in the Centrally sponsored schemes and industrial package was also withdrawn, he said.

NITI Aayog should provide bonus for Himachal in lieu of its commendable role in forest conservation and putting a complete ban on felling of green trees, he urged.

Agriculture Minister Sujan Singh Pathania sought income support system for farmers, else their plight would worsen and the vision of doubling their income would get defeated.

Pathania urged the Aayog to bring trout fish framing under crop insurance scheme lamenting that the funds under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna has been reduced to Rs 20 crore from Rs 90 crore. The state is getting meager funds under PM Krishi Yojna and micro irrigation schemes, he added.

Chief Secretary VC Pharka said the state government was in a position to achieve most of the targets by the year 2022. However, drastic decline in the Central funding will hurt the vision of doubling the farmers income in next five years, he added.