Refuting the State Government’s allegations of the Centre decreasing budgetary allocation to Uttarakhand, former Chief Minister and BJP MP from Nainital Bhagat Singh Koshyari said that far from curtailing the Budget, the Centre had hiked the Budgetary allocation by about 10 per cent in the 14th Finance Commission i.e. 42 per cent while it was mere 32 per cent earlier.
Whereas the State had received Rs15,965 crore under the 13th Finance Commission, a budget of Rs40,767 crore will be allocated for Uttarakhand under the 14th Finance Commission. “Ours is a Government that is committed to devolution of power. Now, each State would reap its benefit,” he said. Training his gun on the Congress Government, he said it is engaged in a motivated disinformation campaign against the Centre to cover its failure to execute development projects.
If one goes by facts and figures a phenomenal jump in State’s share under the aegis of the 14 Finance Commission would become clear, he said. Talking to the media, Koshiyari said, “The Centre has allocated more funds to Uttarakhand than were allocated earlier. In the financial year 2014-15 Rs3,792 crore was allocated to the State. The Centre has increased it to Rs5,526 crore for the financial year 2015-16.”
“It is true not just in case of Uttarakhand but for every State. As per the 13th Finance Commission, the States used to receive mere Rs3.32 lakh crore between 2010-15. But now they would get Rs5.24 lakh crore in next five years,” he said. Quoting figures from the 13th and 14th Finance Commissions, he said the 13th Finance Commission (2010-15) had allocated Rs15,965 crore to the State, whereas the 14th Finance Commission (2015-20) has allocated over Rs40,767 crore to Uttarakhand.
“The Centre has provided all possible financial assistance to the State, but the State Government lacks the vision to use the funds effectively,” he said. However, in the same breath, Koshiyari admitted that the Centre has reduced funds under certain projects. “But the State can take its grievance to the NITI Aayog,” he said. Replying to the media query about Char Dham Yatra survey undertaken by the State BJP leaders, Koshyari said that they have sent the team to see for themselves how much prepared the State Government is to ensure successful Char Dham Yatra.
“If things are ok, we would ask the people to come here on pilgrimage without any worry. As for the preparation, things done in Kedarnath is very good. This is because Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) team led by Col Alay Kothiyal is working very hard. But down the line, things very poor,” he said. Koshyari sarcastically said that Chief Minister Harish Rawat is very serious over Fl-2 which is why they sought public opinion. But they did not bother to take the people on board for Char Dham route.
“Despite all this, what NIM has been doing is exemplary. They are working amid 10-12 feet snow. The State Government is, on the other hand, bungling on the matter. They are taking extra burden when they are incapable of doing one thing rightly at a time. They have now taken up BRO’ work of constructing roads. What is happening is inevitable as they are engrossed in milking money out of illegal mining.,” he said. He further said instead of making the yatra an ego issue, the State Government should hand things over to the Centre. “As the local MP, I would force the Union Government to take control of the yatra,” he said.