
Along Longkumer
Consulting Editor
Think about it—Nagaland is going to celebrate 50 years of Statehood later this year yet we continue to remain poor. Whatever reasons it may be, but it is unusual that the Plan Outlay for Nagaland has been kept at Rs 2000 crores. It is usually the case that each year there is increase in such plan outlay for the States and this trend is visible at least in all the Northeastern States barring Nagaland. Last year i.e. during 2012-13, the State’s Annual Plan Outlay was Rs 2300 crores, which included the provision of Rs 300 crores as Special Development Package for Eastern Nagaland. As such the plan outlay for 2013-14 shows no improvement from last year. This is quite unprecedented. Also, as per information available, this component of Rs 300 crores for the development of Eastern Nagaland is yet to be sanctioned. This is again surprising because if we can recall, while offering this amount last year, the Planning Commission had even directed the State government to work out special development projects for Eastern Nagaland for the five year period of the 12th Plan and this Rs 300 crores was seen as the first installment on this overall package. The State government on its part has even gone ahead with preparation of Detailed Project Reports and waiting for approval from the Planning Commission. So, on the one hand we have a situation where our Plan Outlay has been curtailed to Rs 2000 crores when other States like Meghalaya got Rs 4151 crores, Arunachal Pradesh Rs 3700 crores, Manipur Rs 3650 crores, Mizoram Rs 2500 crores and even tiny Sikkim got Rs 2060 crores. On the other hand, even the amount of Rs 300 crores announced for Eastern Nagaland during the previous Plan Outlay has still not been delivered.
A statement issued by the Nagaland government while announcing the Plan Outlay for 2013-14 merely informed that the Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission “assured that there will be review of the Plan allocation later in the year, including the Special Economic Package for Eastern Nagaland, in the month of September/October after an assessment of the Nation’s resource position in undertaken”. Does this statement therefore mean that the Plan Outlay of Rs 2000 crores is not the final amount? While no doubt, because of the global economic slowdown, the Government of India’s budgetary resources would have been put under pressure, nevertheless if States like Meghalaya, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh or Mizoram have seen increased Plan Outlay, why has Nagaland being treated the way it has been. Or is it because Nagaland has been inefficient in using the allocated finances and its failure to curtail wasteful expenditure? Whether we need to be more honest while spending whatever funds we receive and improve our governance. Or is it simply a case of political vendetta by the Congress led UPA government against a non-Congress regime in Nagaland? It may be mentioned that all the above mentioned NE States have Congress governments at the helm of affairs. Meghalaya in fact has just returned the Congress to power and barring Assam, it has got the highest allocation at a whopping Rs 4151 crores. Perhaps the ruling NPF and the Opposition Congress should also look into this matter. On their part, the respective government in the State and Centre/Planning Commission should provide some honest answers to the general public. These are matters of public importance, which need better explanation from the concerned authorities.
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