AGARTALA, April 11 (TIWN): In the recently concluded NEC Meeting Chief Minister Manik Sarkar stressed on the deprivation of Tripura in the status of Special Category State of Northeastern Region. Focusing the issue, Manik Sarkar told that after analyzing the 14th Finance Commission’s recommendations and the Union Budget for 2015-16, it appears that virtuallity the status of Special Category States of North Eastern Region is going to be discontinued.

This will be nothing but a big blow to the interest of the NE States who have been suffering from the backwardness and utter development due to apathetic and neglecting attitudes of the earlier Union Governments. Iam being forced to say that this dangerous and disastrous move cannot be accepted at this stage- Manik Sarkar further added. Besides that the financial facilities used to avail by the NER States as special category states should be allowed to continue.

Similarly, the decision taken in the Union Budget for 2015-16 not to keep any provision under Normal Central Assistance (NCA), Special Plan Assistance (SPA) and Special Central Assistance (SCA) will drastically affect the position of finance of the NE States. This should be continued for all the special category states under NER so that they can catch up with other parts of the country.

However, focusing on the sharing pattern for Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) was 90:10 for special category states. But 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, it may be mentioned that any change in the sharing pattern will add to state’s liability which state may not be able to meet.

It is to be mentioned that sharing pattern for CSS for the North-Eastern States may remain as followed earlier; otherwise State like Tripura and other NE States will not be able to implement the schemes due to non-availability of fund.