State govt. failures to provide share likely to delink important Central Scheme
Scrapping of the Special Category Status and modification in centre-state funding pattern for schemes by the Union government of India has given a big blow to the region particularly Manipur which lacks development and have been suffering from backwardness and insurgency. With the state government failing to contribute its share based on the plan outlay of 2015-16, many Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSSs) meant for the State are likely to be delinked from centre’s support thereby leaving the state administration in a critical situation.
Sources from State Planning and Finance Department revealed that the economy of the state is at its worst today and there is all likelihood of a severe financial disaster by the end of this year.
The State Government has already received the Central Government’s fund share for the CSCs for the first 6 months of the current fiscal.
The amount sanctioned has already been allocated to the respective departments according to the given guidelines. However, the State Government is yet to contribute its share based on the plan outlay of 2015-16.Execution of many important central sponsored schemes in the state was severely affected by the Centre’s decision not to sponsor them further.
Till the last financial year, the Centre used to give 90 percent funds for CSS schemes. Now the reverse has happened putting the state government in a quandary on how to continue such important schemes. Now the state government has to take the entire burden of expenditures to continue implementation of schemes. With the State Government failing to provide its share and submit utilization certificates for the funds of the first phase installment even when it was already time for receiving the second phase installment, it is speculated that the centre is not likely to hold back further fund for the CSS scheme, source said.
The sources further revealed that since the Manipur Government has not been able to provide its share, some CSCs are already on the verge of collapse. If the state government fails to contribute its backlog share, many CSS schemes are likely to be delinked from the state.
As many as 12 schemes, which received budgetary support from the Centre till 2014-15, have been now completely delinked from central support. The schemes which had been delinked from Centre’s support are National e-Governance Plan; Backward Regions Grant Funds; Modernization of Police Forces; Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyaan (RGPSA); Scheme for Central Assistance to the States for developing export infrastructure; Scheme for setting up of 6000 Model Schools; National Mission on Food processing and Tourist Infrastructure As per the Budget 2015-16, Centre/State funding pattern for some CSCs had undergone a change with the State supposed to contribute higher share. Now there are 31 Schemes to be fully sponsored by the Union Government. Eight schemes have been delinked from support of the Centre and 24 Schemes are now supposed to run with the changed sharing pattern. Some of the schemes to be run with the changed sharing pattern are Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture; RashtriyaKrishi Vikas Yojana; National Livestock Mission; National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture; Veterinary Services and Animal Health; National Rural Drinking Water Programme; NationalAIDS and STD Control programme; National Health Mission; Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyaan (RMSA); National Land Records Modernisation Programme; National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM);Rural Housing-Housing for All; PMKSY (including Watershed programme and micro irrigation) etc. Considering the current financial situation in which the state is in; the Finance Department has taken up all possible means to save the economy of the state from any possible disaster. Earlier, North east chief Ministers including of Manipur Assam urged the centre to restore the special category status for the troubled torn states which are economically backward.
