Headlines       Vol. 1 Issue 42-43

Mar 22- Apr 6,   1999

NE MPs forum not satisfied with the funds given to NE Not satisfied with the release of funds to the North-Eastern states from the non-lapsable pool of funds, the North-East MPs Forum has decided to meet the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission to seek clarification on the basis on which the funds are being released. In a recent meeting the forum which has all the MPs of the region as members, has decided to send a delegation to the Planning Commission under the leadership of former Union finance minister Dr. Monmohan Singh to ascertain why such a small amount of nearly Rs. 100 crore had been released to the North-Eastern states. According to the forum the fund should be much more than Rs. 1500 crore, if 10 per cent of the budgetary allocation of Central ministries to be diverted for the region. The MPs Forum has also decided to move to the Centre for stepping up the process of reconstructing the North Eastern Council (NEC). The forum demanded that the NEC (Amendment) Bill is to be tabled soon in Parliament. The forum has also set up a committee under former Union minister Paban Singh Ghatowar to prepare a list of incomplete Central projects in the region. The forum intends to put pressure on the Central Government for the early completion of these projects. The North-Eastern MPs Forum which was constituted last year has appointed Dr. Arun Kumar Sharma of AGP as its office secretary and Alem Jamir, son of Nagaland Chief Minister S. C. Jamir, as its secretary. Former Lok Sabha speaker P. A. Sangma is the chairman of the forum while Paban Singh Ghatowar is the convernor.

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