Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Monday expressed concern over the pattern of funding by NITI Ayog saying the State used to receive central assistance in the ratio 90:10 and was getting status of special category hill State before formation of the Aayog.
“But as of now after formation of the Ayog, funds to the State have been reduced drastically in centrally-sponsored schemes and special industrial package withdrawn,” he claimed.
Addressing a public meeting at lambloo in Hamirpur on Monday, Virbhadra Singh said the State had received more than Rs 2,767 crore before winding up of the Planning Commission during UPA’s regime, but the assistance had been discontinued after NDA Government came into power at the Centre.
Singh said the responsibility of Union Government was to provide funds equally to the States for development. “The hill States should have a separate provision of funds because of their topography,” he said, adding that the NITI Ayog had ignored all such provisions. He added that the State did not receive any amount under head of General Central Assistance during year 2015-16 and 2016-17.
The Chief Minister said despite limited financial help from the Central Government, Himachal Pradesh was a leading State in many sectors. It was the best big State in field of education in the country. Apart from this the per capita income of the State was 1,47,277 as of now, he added.