State Plan size approved

FROM OUR STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, January 8: Indicators reveals that the approved plan size of Meghalaya for the year 2013–2014 is hovering around the Rs 4,545 crore as projected by the government, even as state sustain itself on the montly disbursement of Rs 90 crore that comes in the form of the monthly central assistance and the special central assistance. Rs 60 crore come from the former and another Rs 30 crore from the latter head.

Till date the approved plan outlay has not been made public but a senior functiory in the state fince department confirmed that the centre has approved the plan size. Although he feigned ignorance about the actual amount, the official said that it hovers around the proposal made by the government.

Stating that apart from the 90 crore that the government received from the centre on a monthly basis, the additiol central assistance adds up to the disbursement to eble the state government carries out with the committed developmental programmes.

It may be mentioned that the state was compelled to take a number of austerity measures due to the delay on the part of the centre to announce the plan size. One of those measures is the 20% cut from the non–plan budget of each and every department.

In spite of the approval of the plan size and the austerity measures undertaken by the government, the state coffer will continue to suffer due to the NGT ban on coal mining in the state. There has been a drastic drop in the state revenue since the NGT ban rat hole mining and transhipment of extracted coal. According to the official, the revenue collected from royalty on coal is around Rs 100 crore in 2013–14 while it was Rs 430 crore in 2012–2013.

The official however said that if the extracted coal is allowed to be transported, the revenue is expected to shoot up and reached the level of projection made for the current fiscal year.

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