Punjab CM Parkash Badal welcomes NITI Aayog's proposal on schemes

SANGRUR: Hailing NITI Aayog's proposal to reduce the list of centrally sponsored schemes and enhance the share of flexi funds, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that doing away all such schemes was the need of the hour and in the larger interest of the country.

On the sidelines of his thanks giving tour in Dhuri assembly here, the Chief Minister asked the Union government to transfer the funds directly to the states as untied funds and direct grants to enable them to formulate schemes.

He said that devolution of funds to the states in the right earnest could be a step for achieving the goal of true federal system.

Badal said that they have been pursuing this agenda since long so as to empower the states for ensuring the welfare of people in a far more effective manner.

Expressing concern over the declining share of the Centre's in the existing centrally sponsored schemes, the Chief Minister batted for enhancement in the share of Centre government in the centrally sponsored schemes.

He said that it was unfortunate that the share of central taxes was continuously being curtailed whereas the state's share was ever mounting.

He said that this would put extra burden on the states, which were already having limited funds at their disposal to carry out development.

"This trend needs to be reversed by enhancing the share of union government in all such schemes for ensuring holistic development of the states," he added.

On Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh's claim the state government was pursuing 'Panthic Agenda', the Chief Minister said that the sole agenda of the state government was to strengthen the national unity and integrity by promoting the ethos of communal harmony, brotherhood and peace in the state.

He said that if the entire country pursues this agenda then peace and progress would prevail in the country.

"Our agenda is of universal brotherhood and peace and none can ever deter us from doing this pious task," he said.