EMN
DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 17
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley assured Chief Minister TR Zeliang today that he would give a ‘sympathetic consideration’ to the requests of the State Government of Nagaland.
This assurance was given when TR Zeliang raised the issue of financial problems being faced by the State Government and highlighted that 42 on-going projects funded under Special Plan Assistance (SPA) for which an amount of Rs. 594.81 is required for completion. He also informed the Union Finance minister that block grants such as Normal Central Assistance (NCA) and Special Central Assistance (SCA) have been discontinued resulting in several on-going projects/ programmes getting stranded. A amount of Rs. 340.09 crore is required for completion. Zeliang further told Jaitley that the State has been unable to provide matching share for various Centrally Sponsored Schemes amounting to Rs. 375.09 crores.
TR Zeliang then said the Government of India had approved a special package for Eastern Nagaland Areas amounting to Rs. 300.00 crore during 2012 – 13 under additional SPA. However, Government of India did not release the funds and we now need funds to clear the committed liabilities, and also to complete these projects. He further highlighted that Nagaland needs special grant from the Government of India to wipe-off the accumulated deficit of the State which has gone up to Rs. 1500 crore. TR Zeliang then highlighted the need for raising the constitutional ceiling limit on professional tax from Rs 2500 per year, especially for North Eastern tribal states, where the tribals are exempted from paying income tax.
