IMPHAL, February 26: Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh today informed the House that a regional sub-committee formed by States whose special category status (SCS) have been withdrawn, is pursuing the Centre to reconsider its decision to withdraw the special category from states with limited resources.
The Chief Minister was responding to a private member resolution moved by Dr I Ibohalbi Singh, on the 6th day of the ongoing budget session today.
Despite the withdrawal of the special category status, the Government of India has not entirely stopped funding the States that once enjoyed the privilege for the time being, he said adding that it has in some areas agreed to grant some central assistance.
The Chief Minister attributed the leniency in funding pattern shown by the centre, to the persuasiveness of the sub-committee.
Given the circumstances, he observed that it was too early to take any steps which could become unfavourable to the situation.
He said that it would be wise to act as per the outcome of the sub-committee’s initiative and added that if necessary sent a resolution separately for the entire North East region.
Further elaborating on the initiative taken by the committee, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said that the regional sub-committee was formed with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, as the chairman.
He said that the committee on several occasions has strongly protested against the withdrawal of SCS including in the Niti Ayog meeting chaired by the Prime Minister and also in the Chief Minister’s meeting.
The sub-committee have explained that the earlier governments did not grant the SCS to any State from a political point of view but based on criteria and full specification, he told the House.
Moreover, the committee had explained that the increase in central tax transfer and revenue deficit grant was normal course and cannot be justify withdrawal of SCS, he said.
Underscoring that the sub-committee has sent number of recommendations including not to withdraw the status as reminder, he said that the has made the Centre to a second thought.
As a result, on October 28, 2015, the Finance department (GOI) had agreed to grant central assistance for a handful of schemes either on a 50:50 or 80:30 basis besides sanctioning a sum of Rs 85 crores under SPA with instruction to specifically finish ongoing projects like the civil secretariat and other centrally sponsored projects, said Ibobi.
There are many centrally sponsor schemes including creation of infrastructure, education sectors SSA, RMSA and NRHM, MGNREGS, to sustain this central project the state needs around 1500 crore (as per the 90:10 basis), pointed out Ibobi.
Before the withdrawal of SCS, the State annually received Rs 450 crore under SPA, Rs 900 crore as NCA and nearly Rs 800 crores as ACA, yet the funding sometimes failed to match the State matching share sometimes resulting in failure to submit UC in time, said Ibobi.
Moving his motion, Joykishan, condemned the step taken by the Centre which according to him was not feasible at the present time with major part of Manipur still underdeveloped and the fact of resource limitation.
Against this backdrop, he drew the attention of the House to unanimously adopt a resolution to urge the GOI to continue the special category status of Manipur so as to ensure that the pattern of funding of centrally assistance to the State shall be either 100 percent of central share or in the principle of 90:10.
The motion was also supported by Keisamthong MLA L Ibomcha.