'Central ministers misleading people'

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, June 28: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said Central Ministers visiting the State were misleading the people by claiming that Central funds are flowing to the State.

"If the funds are flowing, where have they gone?" he asked.

In a statement here today, Chief Minister Gogoi said the Central Ministers should stop misleading the people that 'adequate funds' are flowing to the State. "The Central Ministers visiting the State should not mislead the people that Central funds are flowing unhindered to the State. In fact, funds meant for Centrally sponsored schemes have been slashed, thus adversely affecting the common man," he said.

Gogoi said though Central Ministers visiting the State are making tall claims that funding pattern of 90:10 under Centrally sponsored schemes are continuing, the fact remains that it is the State government which has been pleading for continuation of the Special Category Status to Assam and similar other States as such States lag behind in comparison to the developed States. The Chief Minister, while pressing for continued Central assistance to CSS, said the Centre should also continue to fully support schemes like Backward Region Grant Fund and police modernisation.