Tarun Gogoi refutes Sarbanda's charge

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, May 18: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday said the State government is complying with all standard norms for maintaining transparency in utilising Central funds.

Refuting the reported statement of Union Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs Sarbanda Sonowal that the Assam government has failed in its responsibility to provide utilisation certificates of funds received from the Centre, Gogoi said that there have been sustained efforts from the vested interests to malign the image of the State government by spreading false cards.

“As against the allegation that Assam has been paying dearly for non-submission of UCs to the tune of Rs 11,000 crore Central funds, the startling fact remains that there has always been a mismatch between the UCs submitted by the implementing agencies and AG due to the dymic process of continuous flow of funds and ongoing schemes,” Gogoi said in a statement issued to media.   

“Recognizing this fact, accounting procedure provides for a system of reconciliation. After the recent reconciliation in March 2015 itself, it has been reconciled with AG for the UCs already submitted earlier for Rs 5042.19 crore, and for the next few months the balance figures would also be reconciled. Further, substantial part of the balance UCs which are yet to be reconciled are related to the State’s own funds such as grants-in-aid provided to universities, colleges, medical colleges, development councils/autonomous councils, roads, irrigations, flood control etc.,” he said.

The Chief Minister further said, “As against the reported allegation of non-submission of UCs resulting in cut in Central funds also does not hold good because non-submission of UCs may lead to delayed release of subsequent installments of the sanctioned ongoing schemes within the same fincial year. It does not have any adverse effect on the schemes of the new fincial year. While the reconciliation issue of UCs belongs to the previous years up to 2013-14 and not for the funds allotted in the budget of 2015-16.”

According to official sources, 12 Central schemes were struck off by the Central government not only for Assam but also for all 29 States and 7 UTs in the country. Moreover, in many schemes like Rastriya Krishi Vikash Yoja (RKVY), tiol Food Security Mission (NFSM), Integrated Watershed Magement Programme (IWMP) etc, funding pattern was changed from 90:10.

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