Gogoi, Nihal Chand spar over Central funds

Show-cause notice served to State asking reasons for failure to utilize P&RD funds, says Union Minister

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Jan 8: Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Nihal Chand on Friday slammed the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government in the State for "failing" to utilize central funds.

Chand, who is on a visit to the State, said that his ministry had sanctioned Rs 292 crore to the Panchayat and Rural Development department of the State four months ago. "However, the State government is yet to utilize the funds," he said, adding that a show-cause notice has been served to the State government to cite reasons within seven days for the failure to utilize the funds.

The Chief Minister, however, reacted sharply to the Union Minister's statement saying, "I don't care about his deadline. Who's he to give me a deadline?"

"First the Central government should clear the previous dues," Gogoi asserted.

Training his guns at State BJP president Sarbanda Sonowal, Gogoi said the Lakhimpur MP has failed to take up the issues of the State with the Central government.

"He brings Union ministers to the State but cannot make them release funds to the State. If not for the State, he should at least pressurize the Central government to release funds to the flood and erosion hit areas of his constituency. But he has failed in that too. He has no right to criticize the State government," the Chief Minister said. Gogoi wondered that if Assam has not developed then why Sonowal first organized the Youth Festival in the State and is now preparing to hold the South Asian Federation Games here.

"He is suffering from depression because he is uble to implement the Central schemes in the State. He has nothing to flaunt so he is indulging in a misinformation campaign," Gogoi alleged, asking the Union minister to make public the number of Central schemes of his ministry he has successfully implemented in the State.