UP govt decries Centre for not sanctioning funds

Lucknow, May 6 (UNI) Replying to the Congress party's 'Hisab Mango Abhiyan', Uttar Pradesh government today blamed the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre for its step motherly treatment in sanctioning funds for UP's development in comparison to some other states.

In a booklet -- Rajyo Ka Vikas: Kendriya Sahayata Ka Sacch -- released by the state government here today, claimed that the Centre was ignoring the genuine demand of the state such as the special package demanded for the state and separate one for the drought affected Bundelkhand and Poorvanchal regions.

State Cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh here said that the financial package demanded by the state was a separate financial aid sought from the UPA government, besides the Central allocation and if recieved it would be used in the entire 11th five year plan period.

UP sought Rs 80,000 crore special package from the Centre last year, besides another Rs 7,016 crore for drought hit Bundelkhand region.

Mr Singh, also contradicted reports about the state government not utilising the entire Central funds given in 2007-08. ''The government has fully spent Rs 36,000 crore during that period and if the Centre had sanctioned the required funds in time then the expenditure could have reached Rs 41,500 crore,'' he claimed.

In the 14-page booklet, in response to the Congress demand of white paper on the state expenditure on development projects, the BSP government claimed that most of the developmental works were being done by the state on its own revenue. It also alleged that the loan waiver scheme of the Centre would not benefit the farmers of the Bundelkhand region.

Narrating in detail about the indifferent attitude of the Centre, UP governments book mentioned the Centre had alloted Rs 467.02 crore to the state for Rs 2.55 lakh housing units under Indira Awaas Yojana, but Bihar received Rs 1063.44 crore for 5.56 lakh houses.

Under Jawahar Lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JLNNURM) the state was given Rs 526.34 crore, while Maharashtra was given Rs 1042.48 crore and West Bengal Rs 625.87 crore.

The Cabinet secretary said that the hike in the 11th plan to Rs 1.81 lakh crore, three times of the 10th plan, was only due to the resources available made by the state. But the central share in the plan had gone down to 14.2 per cent in 11th plan from 35.7 per cent in the 10th plan.

UNI MB JAS KK KN1924