Principal Correspondent
KOHIMA, JUNE 22
CHIEF Minister TR Zeliang disclosed that the State’s present deficit stood at Rs 1234 crore. He said unless the Central government comes to its rescue, it will be difficult for the State to move ahead.
Replying to media queries on the response of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to his plea for a one-time special economic grant for the State, Zeliang at Hotel Vivor here on Saturday evening said, “Delhi also is yet to pass their budget and we know their position that at the moment that they cannot do anything”.
Nevertheless, he said “we have apprised the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister about the financial constraints and financial position of the state and the huge deficit that we have incurred”.
“We have requested the Prime Minister to wipe off the deficit,” he said, while reiterating that unless the one time grant is given it will be difficult to see development taking place in the next 2-3 years.
He said his team had also apprised the Prime Minister about how the 13th Finance Commission had adversely affected the State’s economy and contributed to the huge deficit. The PM, he said, understood the issue and assured to look into it after the Union Budget is passed.
“We are hopeful that they will do something for the State and rescue us from the Rs 1234 crore present deficit of the State,” he said.
The Chief Minister pointed out that the excess appointment of government employees in various departments, especially in School Education and Police departments during the last six-seven years, had compounded the problem. Austerity measures are the urgent need of the day, he added.
“The main problem we are facing is excess appointment in all the government departments,” he said. While the 13th FC had recommended a limit of 35 per cent expenditure on government salaries of the total revenue in Nagaland, this expenditure has gone beyond 62%. This ground reality, the Chief Minister stated, was not acknowledged by the Commission.
He justified that the expenditure on State government salaries is beyond 62% as these were not new appointments and the payments cannot be avoided.
Although the NDA government had wiped off the previous deficit created by Congress when the NPF-led DAN government took charge in 2003, Zeliang said development was hampered especially by illegal appointments. Scrapping of such excess appointments during the last six to seven years became a problem for the government.
In the Education and Police departments, many illegal appointments were made without the approval of the government by Directors, SPs and Commandants on the verge of their retirement despite repeated orders not to do so.
“We will have a very hard time, if the Centre does not come to the rescue of the State for the next few years,” he said.
“We have explained our position very clearly and they have understood the loopholes created by the 13th FC and also the ground reality. We believe that the 14th FC will come to our rescue. If the deficit is wiped off, we will not have much of a problem. Only after their recommendations, most likely by September, will we come to know how we are going to fare in the next five years,” he said.
PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT AREAS
“If we are to carry forward the developmental activities, we cannot do the same with the state budget. Therefore we have placed some of importance demands such as infrastructure development, medical and veterinary colleges, foothill roads, development of the airport in Dimapur and all other importance roads.
“We don’t have a single national projects. So some important projects should be taken up by the Centre. We are hopeful that they can announce some special dispensation and some special projects as national projects. This will ensure more progress than in the past,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that the PM, HM and FM were accomodative towards the North East Region and the Look East Policy. “So we hope some kind of National Projects will be taken up in Nagaland,” he said.
Regarding the development of the airport in Dimapur, he said that the Union Civil Aviation Minister has given assurances to send a survey team very soon.
ARTICLE 371 (A) HINDRANCE
Article 371(A) has been hindering the process of certain development projects in the state, he said. He gave the example of roads and the land owners’ unreasonable ‘land compensation demand’ which the government cannot meet. The landowners, he said, should be reasonable and let surface transport projects take place because such development will not be taken away by the government but translate into development for the state and people. There is a need, he added, for people to exercise restrain on landownership issues.
FOOTHILL ROAD CONSTRUCTION
On the objection of NFHRCC asking cancellation of contract works awarded by Nagaland PWD, Zeliang said he is yet to meet the department people and learn the real problem on ground. However, he said that the landowners should not create hindrance in taking forward such kind of development. Sometimes, a compromise formula becomes necessary to break the deadlock which takes into account the grievances faced by the people and also the policy decision taken by the department, he added.
SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT ZONE
On the objection of Nagaland Tribe Council (NTC) over the Assembly resolution to set up NSDZ and allow outsiders to buy land in the foothill areas for industrial development, he said “they (NTC) should go through the Assembly resolution in toto passed in March 24, 2014”. The resolution is very clear because it states that without the consent of the Tribal Hoho and without consulting the landowners the government cannot go ahead with any policy decision, he reiterated.
He also asserted that once the detailed policy and programme is drafted for NSDZ “we will have consultative meet with all the tribal ho-ho and landowners, if they agree we will take it forward, if they don’t we cannot implement”.
“There is nothing to fear, but people read only a portion of the resolution and react” he said while maintaining that when someone reads the resolution and rules they must read the entire content and not take matters out of context”. The assembly resolution is very clear that without the consent of the tribal ho-ho nothing can be done,” he added.
BORDER ISSUE:
On the long pending Assam-Nagaland border problem, he said a coordination meeting of the State Government, Bureaucrats and Administration was held. They have been advised to maintain close contact and coordination with the heads of district administration on both sides of the border, to be on top of the issue.
“If infiltration or encroachment is to be checked, both sides should have close coordination and work together, this way the ground problems can be resolved. But if each side acts on its own will more problems will arise “, he said.
FULL BUDGET FOR 2014-15
Zeliang, who also holds the Finance portfolio, said the July 22 Assembly session will a full budget session. He said in March the Assembly had approved expenditure for the first 4 months (April to July) and now even if the state plan is not finalised the full budget needs to be finalized. This will be done either taking last years’ figure or with a little hike as per the new guidelines of the Centre guide with 5 per cent increase.” The budget will be finalized in July but plan discussion will only commence after the budget is passed at the Centre, he said.
