DPRs and proposals have been sent to the Central Government under PMGSY, seeking approval along with the demand for increasing the allocated fund from Rs288 crore to Rs550 crore. Besides, the State Government demanded that all the Centre-sponsored schemes and EAP should continue to be funded on 90:10 basis. It is learnt that these among many other demands figure in the list Chief Minister Harish Rawat had put before the Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their informal meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday following the sub-group meeting of NITI Aayog convened for submitting the report on Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan. The Chief Minister had stressed on fulfilling the State Government’s appeal related to development while extending invitation to PM Narender Modi to visit Kedarnath and Badrinath dhams.
A fund of Rs500 crore was demanded for hosting Ardh Kumbh 2016 and Rs1,200 crore under CSS-R and SPA-R. Besides, the power delegation date of forest land transfer for non-forestry purpose up to five hectares to the State government should be extended till December 2016 with relaxation in the provision of affected trees numbers from 50 to 75.
Several hydro power projects stalled in GOI in various ministries, chief among them being lakhwar and Kisau, should be sanctioned soon. Requisite fund of Rs4,000 crore should be released for specific high priority development projects. Fund should be released also for establishing Almora Medical College. The administrative approval must come promptly for Rudrapur and Dehradun medical colleges.
Prime Minister was informed about the pending proposal of Rs207 crore for the upgrade of Haldwani Medical College and Rs120 crore for establishment of a Cancer Institute at the same facility. This aside, CM apprised Modi of the difficulties to provide drinking water to the marginalised sections of the society on account of the 50 percent budget cut under NRDWP) and discontinuation of World Bank funded scheme Swajal.
Removal of distinction between special category and general category states has impacted the State’s resources adversely, CM said. As state is likely to lose Rs1,530 crore under normal central assistance the figures are Rs700 crore under special central assistance and Rs300 crore under special plan assistance respectively, Rawat is said to have told PM.
Thus, a reduction in central grants of Rs2,580 core. Which assuming a normal growth of 10 percent, would go up to around Rs2,800 core in the year 2015-16. The increase in central tax by way of increased devolution is only about Rs1,315 crore while the reduction is about Rs2,800 crore.
Thus the State has been put to a loss of Rs1,485 crore during 2015-2016, Chief Minister explained the PM.
CM Rawat said that as per the core area network, there are still 748 habitations having more than 250 population for which new road projects are still to be sanctioned. State Government had sent several new projects to government of India for sanctions during 2014-2015 and again during the current year 121 projects/DPRs worth Rs809.84 crore were sent to GOI but the Government of India has returned all the DPRs saying that they will be taken for consideration only after allocation for PMGSY in increased by Finance Ministry, GOI. It is a matter of great concern that GOI has not sanctioned any project since February, 2014.
Chief Minister assured the whole heartedly support to the Jan-Dhan Yojana, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Namami Gange, Digital India.