Guwahati, Feb. 4: Three chief ministers have sought an emergent meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC) to discuss the adverse fallout of the finance ministry?s decision to prune the council?s budgetary allocation for 2003-04 by nearly Rs 420 crore.
The three chief ministers ? Tarun Gogoi of Assam, Manik Sarkar of Tripura and Zoramthanga of Mizoram ? have also dashed off letters to the Prime Minister for restoration of the outlay of Rs 750 crore, which was originally recommended by the planning commission.
Assam minister of state for planning and development Himanta Biswa Sarma today said the Centre?s attitude showed ?utter lack of concern for the Northeast?.
The department for development of north eastern region (Doner) informed the NEC through a letter dated December 31, 2003, that the latter?s budget had been reduced to Rs 395 crore.
The NEC has already informed the seven sister states as well as Sikkim that ?in view of the drastic cut by the finance ministry, the NEC would not be able to entertain any more proposals for further release of funds till the end of March 2004, including funds required for ongoing works?.
The NEC has pointed out that the completion dates fixed for several ongoing projects would be affected due to the cut in the budget provisions and may even lead to turning new schemes approved for the Tenth Plan to ?non-starters?.
In his letter to Vajpayee, Gogoi said, ?The state government was optimistically looking forward to larger support from the NEC in the context of the government of India?s decision to enlarge the role and scope of NEC by making it a regional planning body?.
He said the revitalisation of the NEC was a major factor for the 48th NEC meeting, held in Gangtok in September last year, to adopt a roadmap for the region. The ?roadmap? laid special emphasis on security and industrial development and also highlighted the region?s untapped potential in agriculture and tourism.
?The decision to impose a cut in the NEC?s outlay would go counter to the objectives of the council and is bound to send the wrong signals to the states of the northeastern region,? Gogoi added.