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Tripura CM prepares to attend NEC meeting on April 10: CM to request PM to bridge Rs. 17, 000 crore gap; PM Modi likely to turn down Manik’s proposal
TIWN
Tripura CM prepares to attend NEC meeting on April 10: CM to request PM to bridge Rs. 17, 000 crore gap; PM Modi likely to turn down Manik’s proposal
PHOTO : CM Manik Sarkar with PM Modi and North East CMs in Delhi. TIWN File Photo

AGARTALA, April 1 (TIWN): Chief Minister Manik Sarkar voiced his discontent over the 13th Finance Commission’s (TFC) awards and recommendations. Sarkar also explained the difficulties that the state would face in the next five years. “So far, sharing pattern for centrally sponsored schemes was 90:10 for special category states. However, from the Union Budget 2015-16, it appears that sharing pattern will undergo a change for a number of CSS with states to contribute higher share. In this regard, I (CM) said that any change in the sharing pattern will add to state’s liability which state may not be able to meet, thereby leading to cessation of pro-people development schemes in our state,” CM Manik Sarkar said today.Chief Minister was speaking to the reporters here at the civil secretariat on Tuesday during a press conference after the conclusion of the cabinet meeting.

However, Sarkar said that the North East Council (NEC) meeting will be held at Delhi on April 10, where the state govt. would again urge the Centre to retain the special category status to the state like earlier and provide a special grant of Rs 17,780 crore for the next five years to manage the expenditure gap. Adding to that he stated that recently the state govt. has written a letter to the PM Narendra Modi in this regard but no reply has been brought yet today.

Arguing that the 14th Finance Commission (FC) could not fulfill the legitimate demands of the state despite the hike in the share of central taxes to 42% from the existing 32% and increase non-plan revenue grants by 243% for five years, CM today expressed his displeasure over the exclusion of the state Tripura from a special category tag. Sarkar said, “The previous governments and finance commissions had always considered the NE states as special category states in terms of infrastructure and slow pace of development. The states had been getting special assistance from the Centre, but now it is wisped abruptly.”

Sarkar also sought special grant of Rs 3,556 crore annually for the next five years to manage the deficit of the state exchequer. Mentioning this Sarkar today reiterated that the central govt. has recently curtailed several centrally sponsored schemes for the state Tripura and this would hamper the state at large for the next five years. 

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