Half way into fiscal, Dispur sweating, Centre non-committal

Release of plan allocation

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, August 31: With only about seven months in hand before the State goes to assembly polls, uncertainty over plan allocation for the current fincial year is keeping Dispur jittery.

The uncertainty has cast a cloud over a number of schemes announced by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi this year with an apparent aim to create beneficiaries ahead of the 2016 elections. The State government has estimated this year's plan at Rs 25,406 crore. The Niti Ayog is yet to approve it till date.

In the last fiscal, though the Centre approved a plan of Rs 18,000 crore, only Rs 12,462.34 crore was released. Last year, the plan allocation was approved on September 4.

With the Centre non-committal on the plan till date, official sources said the State government is hesitant as to how to implement schemes announced under plan head by the Chief Minister - like distribution of blanket and yarn, fincial assistance to unmarried women and widows, solar light to students and free medical treatment for BPL children. Many of these schemes were apparently election-oriented, aimed at expanding the beneficiary base.