Deployment of Central forces: Assam owes Centre over Rs 32.49 crore

NEW DELHI, Dec 3 ? Assam is the lone State in the North-East to pay for deployment of Central Para-military Forces (CPMF). The State has an outstanding of over Rs 32.49 crore towards deployment of CPMF in Assam. As for the other North Eastern States of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura, they do not have to share the burden as the Central Government has exempted them from paying for deployment of Central forces. This was revealed by Deputy Prime Minister, L K Advani in the Lok Sabha this morning during the Question Hour discussion. The Deputy Prime Minister added that Assam has to pay 10 per cent of the cost of the deployment of security forces, though the Centre has been reimbursing the expenditure incurred on maintaining law and order situation in the State. The Deputy Prime Minister, however, noted the assertion of many members that States were unable to pay the cost of deployment woing to financial crunch. Many States are facing financial crisis for various reasons, he conceded. The Centre?s outstanding bill on account of deployment of forces has run to over Rs 1,373.76 crore. According to figures made available, Assam Government during the past three years ran a bill of over Rs 49.37 crore by way of deployment cost. This amount has been recovered by the Centre in the last three years period. Meanwhile, the Deputy Prime Minister today said the Centre was constantly in touch with State Chief Ministers over the growing activities of the ISI in the country. In reply to a separate question, Union Minister of State for Home, I D Swami said that Rs 83.92 crore has been released to Assam as Centre?s share towards Calamity Relief Fund (CRF). Expenditures from CRF is incurred according to the recommendations of the Eleventh Finance Commission. Accordingly, assistance for restoration of damaged infrastructure is not admissible except for repairs of an immediate nature, the Minister added. Assam Government, the Minister said, has reported that a large number of roads got damaged and washed away during the floods. However, specific length of the roads affected by floods is not reported. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister, in a letter to Defence Minister George Fernandes, described the Adhiapara incident as an ?unfortunate tragedy?. The incident ?could have been averted, had the Army informed the civil administration, before hand?, the Chief Minister said. He also urged upon the Defence Minister to instruct the echelons concerned in the Army for ensuring effective co-ordination with the civil administration which would result in tangible results on the part of the unified command structure. This is needed in order to prevent recurrent of such unfortunate incidents in future, the Chief Minister said in his letter. The good governance initiatives with the resultant resistance of the people to the insurgent outfits and an effective unified command structure have been able to tackle militancy in the State to a large extent. One of the primary reasons for the effectiveness of the unified command has been the excellent co-ordination between the civil administration and the Army. Through this the resistance of the local people has been channelise against militancy. However, unfortunately ?an unavoidable incident? took place due to lack of such co-ordination on the part of the Army with the civil authorities, the Chief Minister said in his letter to Sri Fernandes. The Chief Minister also observed that it appeared that ?the Army was misled by the informer?.