Kalyan Barooah

NEW DELHI, Feb 26 – Barring routine allocation for the ongoing schemes and projects, Union Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee’s second General Budget has no fresh proposals for the North Eastern Region.

The Union Budget presented on Friday has come as a disappointment for the region, as Mukherjee’s 29-page speech made no mention about the North-east. The Finance Minister though, has committed liberal funding of the ongoing projects.

The Opposition, needless to say, vented their ire on the UPA Government, protesting the low priority accorded to the North-east. Asom Gana Parishad’s lone MP Joseph Topo joined the opposition NDA and staged a walkout in Lok Sabha. Interestingly, AUDF MP Badruddin Ajmal did not join the opposition rank and stayed put in the House.

The Budgetary allocation for Ministry DoNER, the nodal ministry for the region has been given a hike from Rs 1475.21 crore to Rs 1759.33 crore. The outlay for Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources has been marginally increased from Rs 700 crore to Rs 800 crore.

For the North East State Road Project, Asian Development Bank has sanctioned Rs 68 crore. Another external aided project funded by World Bank North Eastern Regional Livelihood Project has also been given Rs 35 crore.

The allocation for North Eastern Council has been increased to Rs 623 crore, marking an increase from Rs 543 crore, sanctioned last financial year.

The grant to Bodoland Autonomous Council was at the same level as last year Rs 50 crore.

For the various flood control schemes in the North Eastern States, there has been an increase in allocation from Rs 91 crore to Rs 92 crore only. The allocation for Pagladiya Dam Project was same as last fiscal at Rs 50 lakh.

The subsidy for Assam Gas Cracker project has witnessed a decrease to Rs 172.75 crore from Rs 275.73 crore, allocated last fiscal.

For growth of infrastructure, an allocation of Rs 12,000 crore has been made for development of rural roads, out of which the North-east has been given Rs 1,114 crore.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has been provided with a budgetary support of Rs.600.50 crore out of which Rs.120.50 crore has been earmarked for development of airports in North Eastern States.

Reacting to the Budget, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that under the present circumstances it was one of the best Budgets. Mukherjee by emphasising rural development and allocation for social sector schemes, as well as agriculture and unorganised sectors, has given a boost to rural economy, which is the country’s backbone. “In spite of all the financial difficulties, he has delivered one of the best Budgets,” he said.

The allocations given to these sectors would also benefit the North Eastern States. “The region would be definitely benefitted as allocation for backward region would also benefit the North-east,” he observed.

Meanwhile, general secretary of the North East MPs’ Forum, Biren Baishya described it as an inflationary Budget, which would trigger price rise. The Centre was not serious about combating price rise, he said.

About the North-east, he alleged that Mukherjee neglected the region. He promised in the Budget that Government of India was going to invest Rs 400 crore to bring a green revolution in Eastern India. But surprisingly, there was no mention of North Eastern Region.

The Finance Minister did not mention a word about tackling floods and erosion in Assam. “There is no relief for the North-east in the Budget,” he concluded.

Biswajeet Daimary, reacting to the Budget said that the raw deal given to the region was because the Union Government did not consult the State during the preparation of the Budget. The North-east did not get anything in the Budget because it had no political lobby in Delhi, he alleged.

“Our interest is not reflected in the Union Budget,” commented Daimary, whose Party is an ally of the ruling Congress.

Chief Whip of the Congress, Paban Singh Ghatowar said the Budget would greatly benefit the ‘Aam Aadmi’.

Assam Congress president, Bhubaneswar Kalita described it as a progressive Budget, which had given lots of sops to middle class, as well as ‘Aam Admi’

Bijoya Chakravarty MP charged that entire North-east had been left out of the Budget. The Centre had sanctioned funds for flood control schemes for Ganga river but the Budget was silent on controlling floods of Brahmaputra river, she alleged.