Assam House passes resolution on 'Special Category Status'

GUWAHATI: The Assam Assembly today unanimously passed a resolution asking the Centre not to scrap the 'Special Category Status' for the state for larger share of assistance.

"The resolution is unanimously passed," Assembly Deputy Speaker Bhimananda Tanti said in the House.

Earlier, Planning and Development Minister Ajanta Neog introduced a resolution in the House that sought greater share of central funding in the schemes by the Union government by retaining the 'Special Category Status' for Assam.

The document mentioned that despite submitting the first resolution in March to various quarters of the Central government, no definitive action has been taken yet.

The last resolution expressed concern over delay in sanctioning and releasing of Plan fund to the state despite passing of four months during the current fiscal.

The financial uncertainty has put the state into severe difficulties, it added.

The resolution urged the Centre to continue funding Central schemes with either 100 per cent assistance or 90 per cent support, leaving 10 per cent for the state.

During the Budget session in March, Assam Legislative Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution requesting the Centre to continue with the 'Special Category Status' for the state, ensuring larger share of central assistance to various schemes.

Discussing the issue today, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said, "I have discussed the issue twice with the Prime Minister. I have talked to Arun Jaitley also. Both said they would look into it, but nothing has happened yet."

"The Centre has changed funding pattern of nine schemes to 50:50, while completely delinked 12 schemes, he informed the House.

Gogoi, who also holds the Finance portfolio, said the Centre has released Rs 12,000 crore out of sanctioned Rs 18,000 crore for the Plan segment in 2014-15.

He also criticised the Union government for suspending registration of new schemes under North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIPP) due to lack of funds.

"Everybody blames me of poor management of finances. Their (Centre) financial management is very anomalous. I have criticised the policy to shift to market economy from plan economy during a meeting of NITI Aayog,"