NEW DELHI, Feb 16 – Dashing the hopes of the Congress-ruled North Eastern States, the Interim Budget presented by Union Finance and External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee has no fresh proposals for the next fiscal. In his 18-page brief Budget address, Mukherjee dwelt at length on the UPA Government’s ‘achievements’ mainly focusing on success of the social sector schemes. With the government getting into election mode, Mukherjee’s job was limited to proposing allocations for critical sectors for the first four months of the 2009-2010.
The interim budget has limited the allocations to various institutes at last year’s level. For instance, the allocation for North Eastern Council (NEC) has been kept at the same level of Rs 544.50 crore. The Ministry DoNER’s allocation has been limited to Rs 1455 crore, the same figure as last year.
In keeping up with the security needs, the allocation for border management on Indo-Bangla border has been kept at Rs 511.23 crore. The allocation includes Rs 407.24 crore for border fencing and Rs 103.99 crore for construction of border roads.
The allocation for construction of Pagladiya Dam project has been halved. The project has been allocated Rs 50 crore, a decrease of Rs 50 crore.
Though the Vote-on-Account had no specific proposals for the Region, it did boast of taking special care to address the special needs of the North-east. The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) has identified nine proposals to be financed through the Rs 500 crore special funds.
Mukherjee listed out the projects, claiming that under the scheme of ‘Bringing North-east closer’, Ministry of DoNER has been given Rs 17.75 crore. The Detailed Project Report has been prepared and proposal is being finalised.
Under the Scheme ‘Skills Development Programme’ for the youth of the North-east, a total allocation of Rs 36.28 crore has been made to the Ministry DoNER for skill development of teachers, nurses, and veterinary assistants, agricultural assistants. The DPR is being prepared and the proposal is being finalised, the Budget said.
The last Budget of 2008-2009 said that the North Eastern Region (NER) and, especially Arunachal Pradesh and the border areas face special problems that cannot be tackled in the usual course or through normal schemes. Hence, Government proposes to identify the urgent needs of these areas and address them through a special mechanism. A sum of Rs 500 crore was set apart in a fund dedicated for the purpose.
The Action Taken Report presented along with the Budget said that the Department of Higher Education has been allocated Rs 50 crore for setting up Higher Education Centre for IT Education at Dimapur.
For the development of a new airport at in Arunachal Pradesh, Rs 80 crore was allocated to Ministry of Civil Aviation. A DPR is being prepared, the Report said.
The Ministry of DoNER has been given Rs 80 crore for strengthening the institutional capacity of NERAMAC and setting up of procurement and collection centres and agro processing centres.
Trying to keep pace with the infrastructure development along international border in Arunchal Pradesh border, Rs 70.79 crore has been set aside for ‘Replication of Arunachal Border Area illumination Programme.
The Ministry of Textile has been given Rs 50 crore for establishment of fashion technology institute at Shillong.
Centre also proposes to lay 200 pedestrian wire rope suspension bridges in various districts of the North-east at an estimated cost of Rs 60 crore. The Ministry of Road Transport and highways has allocated the funds.
-----------------------------------------
North East MPs disappointed
NEW DELHI, Feb 16 – The Interim Budget for the next fiscal evoked sharp reactions from MPs of the North Eastern Region, with the Opposition Parties describing it as letdown for the Region. While the Congress party reacted cautiously and praised the achievements of the UPA Government, those belonging to the Opposition slammed it as election stunt. However, there were few MPs from the North-East, who were present today. Those who attended included the Ministers, besides Kirip Chaliha, Anowar Hussain, Dip Gogoi, Biren Singh Engti, Khiren Rijiju, SK Bwismutiary, Agatha Sangma, among others.
The only man overjoyed by the Budget was Union Heavy Industries Minister, Santosh Mohan Dev, whose Ministry came for praise by Union Finance and External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee.
When the UPA Government took charge, the turnover of Central Public Sector Enterprises in 2003-2004, was Rs 5,87,000 crore, which has grown by 84 per cent to Rs 10,81,000 crore in 2007-2008. During the period the profits of CPSEs has increased by 72 per cent from Rs 53,000 crore to over Rs 91,000 crore and contribution to the Central exchequer was by way of dividend marked an increase of 86 per cent, Mukherjee said.
Meanwhile, reacting to the Union Budget was Union Tribal Affairs Minister, PR Kyndiah said that budgetary allocation shows a direct impact on increased employment and poverty alleviation designed to up-lift the lot of poor people both in rural and urban areas. The nine flagship programmes have been allocated sufficient funds.
Reacting to the Budget, former union minister, Biren Baishya described it as election-oriented. Like the Railway Budget, the General Budget has also neglected Assam and North-east.
The Budget also puts a question mark over the fate of the North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy, which had a provision for five-year tax holiday. However, the Interim Budget made no mention about it, he said.
“This Budget is totally unacceptable to us and we hope that the Budget will include proposals for tax holidays. Further, a long pending demand was for 100 per cent Central assistance for flood control and anti-erosion measures. “But there was no specific proposal,” he added.
Reacting to the Budget, Kumar Deepak Das said that the Budget has no specific measures for controlling inflation. The Centre released the Vision 2020 document with much fanfare, however, it did not find any reflection in the Budget.
Joining him Biswajeet Daimary said that the Budget is for 20 per cent people and not for majority of people. Funds allocated for NREGA and National Rural Health Mission has not percolated down to the rural areas, he added.
Source:
.::. All my articles can be view here: MELTED HEARTS .::.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=d6ed2671-d038-439f-952f-3dd8b46b7782)
The interim budget has limited the allocations to various institutes at last year’s level. For instance, the allocation for North Eastern Council (NEC) has been kept at the same level of Rs 544.50 crore. The Ministry DoNER’s allocation has been limited to Rs 1455 crore, the same figure as last year.
In keeping up with the security needs, the allocation for border management on Indo-Bangla border has been kept at Rs 511.23 crore. The allocation includes Rs 407.24 crore for border fencing and Rs 103.99 crore for construction of border roads.
The allocation for construction of Pagladiya Dam project has been halved. The project has been allocated Rs 50 crore, a decrease of Rs 50 crore.
Though the Vote-on-Account had no specific proposals for the Region, it did boast of taking special care to address the special needs of the North-east. The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) has identified nine proposals to be financed through the Rs 500 crore special funds.
Mukherjee listed out the projects, claiming that under the scheme of ‘Bringing North-east closer’, Ministry of DoNER has been given Rs 17.75 crore. The Detailed Project Report has been prepared and proposal is being finalised.
Under the Scheme ‘Skills Development Programme’ for the youth of the North-east, a total allocation of Rs 36.28 crore has been made to the Ministry DoNER for skill development of teachers, nurses, and veterinary assistants, agricultural assistants. The DPR is being prepared and the proposal is being finalised, the Budget said.
The last Budget of 2008-2009 said that the North Eastern Region (NER) and, especially Arunachal Pradesh and the border areas face special problems that cannot be tackled in the usual course or through normal schemes. Hence, Government proposes to identify the urgent needs of these areas and address them through a special mechanism. A sum of Rs 500 crore was set apart in a fund dedicated for the purpose.
The Action Taken Report presented along with the Budget said that the Department of Higher Education has been allocated Rs 50 crore for setting up Higher Education Centre for IT Education at Dimapur.
For the development of a new airport at in Arunachal Pradesh, Rs 80 crore was allocated to Ministry of Civil Aviation. A DPR is being prepared, the Report said.
The Ministry of DoNER has been given Rs 80 crore for strengthening the institutional capacity of NERAMAC and setting up of procurement and collection centres and agro processing centres.
Trying to keep pace with the infrastructure development along international border in Arunchal Pradesh border, Rs 70.79 crore has been set aside for ‘Replication of Arunachal Border Area illumination Programme.
The Ministry of Textile has been given Rs 50 crore for establishment of fashion technology institute at Shillong.
Centre also proposes to lay 200 pedestrian wire rope suspension bridges in various districts of the North-east at an estimated cost of Rs 60 crore. The Ministry of Road Transport and highways has allocated the funds.
-----------------------------------------
North East MPs disappointed
NEW DELHI, Feb 16 – The Interim Budget for the next fiscal evoked sharp reactions from MPs of the North Eastern Region, with the Opposition Parties describing it as letdown for the Region. While the Congress party reacted cautiously and praised the achievements of the UPA Government, those belonging to the Opposition slammed it as election stunt. However, there were few MPs from the North-East, who were present today. Those who attended included the Ministers, besides Kirip Chaliha, Anowar Hussain, Dip Gogoi, Biren Singh Engti, Khiren Rijiju, SK Bwismutiary, Agatha Sangma, among others.
The only man overjoyed by the Budget was Union Heavy Industries Minister, Santosh Mohan Dev, whose Ministry came for praise by Union Finance and External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee.
When the UPA Government took charge, the turnover of Central Public Sector Enterprises in 2003-2004, was Rs 5,87,000 crore, which has grown by 84 per cent to Rs 10,81,000 crore in 2007-2008. During the period the profits of CPSEs has increased by 72 per cent from Rs 53,000 crore to over Rs 91,000 crore and contribution to the Central exchequer was by way of dividend marked an increase of 86 per cent, Mukherjee said.
Meanwhile, reacting to the Union Budget was Union Tribal Affairs Minister, PR Kyndiah said that budgetary allocation shows a direct impact on increased employment and poverty alleviation designed to up-lift the lot of poor people both in rural and urban areas. The nine flagship programmes have been allocated sufficient funds.
Reacting to the Budget, former union minister, Biren Baishya described it as election-oriented. Like the Railway Budget, the General Budget has also neglected Assam and North-east.
The Budget also puts a question mark over the fate of the North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy, which had a provision for five-year tax holiday. However, the Interim Budget made no mention about it, he said.
“This Budget is totally unacceptable to us and we hope that the Budget will include proposals for tax holidays. Further, a long pending demand was for 100 per cent Central assistance for flood control and anti-erosion measures. “But there was no specific proposal,” he added.
Reacting to the Budget, Kumar Deepak Das said that the Budget has no specific measures for controlling inflation. The Centre released the Vision 2020 document with much fanfare, however, it did not find any reflection in the Budget.
Joining him Biswajeet Daimary said that the Budget is for 20 per cent people and not for majority of people. Funds allocated for NREGA and National Rural Health Mission has not percolated down to the rural areas, he added.
Source:
.::. All my articles can be view here: MELTED HEARTS .::.
No comments:
Post a Comment