Centre cuts Rs 1752 crore grant-in-aid fund to Assam in 2017-18

Assam is likely to get around Rs 1752 crore less grant-in-aid from the Centre in next fiscal against relaesing of the current financial year.

The state budget for 2017-18, which was presented by the state finance minister in Assam assembly on Feb 7, showed that, Assam will not benefited in the next fiscal as less getting grant-in-aid from the Centre.

The state government estimated that, Assam will get a total of Rs 21170.05 crore from the Centre as grant-in-aid in the next financial year against releasing of Rs 22922.88 crore by the Centre in the current financial year.

The budget estimate also indicated that, the Union government has cut crores of rupees in several social economic development schemes.

In his budget speech, Assam Finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that, the state government has proposed to provide eggs twice a week to all 42.61 lakh children under the Mid Day Meal (MDM) programme and the estimated cost will be Rs 130 crore.

"In order to make funds available on time, the state government will bear the Centre's cost until it is reimbursed," Sarma said.

While, the Assam Finance minister announced this type of new nutrition programme in his budget speech, the state budget for the next fiscal showed that, the Centre has cut around Rs 39 crore alone in MDM programme.

The Centre released Rs 810.40 crore to Assam under MDM in this financial year, but it will be reduced to Rs 771.01 crore in next fiscal.

Not only in MDM, the Centre has cut funds in several Centrally sponsored schemes.

The state budget indicated that, the Centre will release Rs 1600 crore under Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) against previous released of Rs 1630.39 crore.

The Union government also cut funds under National Health Mission (NHM), Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana (RKVY), Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyan (RMSA), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), NBA like programmes.

According to the state budget, Assam will get Rs 1331.12 crore under NHM against getting Rs 1464 crore in the current financial year.

Apart from NHM, the Centre has cut funds of Rs 224.44 crore under RKVY, Rs 437.19 crore under RMSA, Rs 24.21 crore under NFSM, Rd 161.69 crore under NBA.

On Feb 7, Assam Finance minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma presented the Rs 2349.79 crore deficit state budget for the financial year 2017-18 in Assam assembly, which includes no tax proposals and merged plan and non-plan heads.

By presenting the first full fledged budget of the BJP led collision government in Assam, the state Finance minister, who restructuring the budget by merging the plan and non-plan heads said that the projected deficit to Rs 367.19 crore considering the  budgetary estimates of the next financial year.

"With the opening deficit of Rs 1982.60 crore, total budget deficit will rise to Rs 2349.79 crore," Sarma said.

The state budget of the next fiscal has been estimated a total receipt of Rs 84732.16 crore as consolidated fund, of which Rs 70719.61 crore on Revenue account and Rs 14012.55 crore on Capital account.

Against the budgetary estimates of receipt under consolidated fund, the total expenditure of the state is estimated at Rs  85922.69 crore, of which Rs 68319.45 crore on Revenue account and Rs 17603.24 crore on Capital account.

The minister further said that, after adding the consolidated fund, the aggregate receipts amount is estimated at Rs 2,47,412.67 crore, of which Rs 1,62,580.51 crore under Public account and Rs 100 crore under Contingency fund.

"The aggregate expenditure for the next fiscal is estimated at Rs 2,47,779.86 crore against the budgetary estimates of aggregate receipts," Sarma said.

On restructuring the state budget by merging the plan and non-plan heads, the Assam Finance minister said that the estimates have been made through Revenue and Capital heads.

"This budget is based on the theme of 'Resurgent Assam' and we are focusing to develop every corner of state by announcing several development New schemes," Sarma said.

"Our focus on ReSTART or Restructuring Systems and Technology for Augmentation of Resources for Transformed Assam giving results. Our government is committed to serve 3.25 cr people of Assam, mitigate their plight and take them to newer heights of development. Values of Gandhi,Tagore,Vivekananda guiding force to our 4 points agnda to make Assam Videshi Mukt (illegal foreigners free), Durneeti Mukt (Corruption free), Santrashvad Mukt (Terror free) and Pradushan Mukt (Pollution free). Four key pillars to our new model of governance are Personal Integrity, Political Inclusivity, Governance Legitimacy and People Participation," Sarma said.

Adding with the innovative schemes, the Assam minister said that, in an effort to encourage girl students, we propose to provide two wheelers to top 1000 girl students who will pass Higher Secondary Examination in 2017.

In the budget speech, the Assam Finance minister claimed that, the BJP-led Union government had released more funds to the state compared to the previous Congress government.

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