Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma today denied having received any communication from the Centre on the reported withdrawal of the special category status to the state.
"We have not received any communication from the Centre indicating the withdrawal of the special category status (to Meghalaya)," Mukul told the Assembly while replying to a question raised by UDP legislator Jemino Mawthoh.
He said the Union Budget of 2015-16 has restructured funding of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) by stopping funding for eight schemes, changing funding pattern for 24 schemes and continuing 31 schemes in the existing manner
According to the chief minister, there was apprehension among the north eastern states about the Centre doing away with the 90:10 funding pattern.
"In view of the persuasion of Meghalaya and other NE states, the Government of India has constituted a sub-group of Chief Ministers to look into the rationalisation of centrally sponsored schemes. The report of the sub-group is awaited," he said.
The chief minister said, "If the increase of 10 per cent (from 32 per cent to 42 per cent) in CSS is the reason for withdrawing the special category, then the central government is treating the north eastern region at par with the other advanced and developed states of the country.
If this is the reason then there is a reason for us to also believe that leadership at the Centre does not understand the complexities of the problems," he said.
According to the chief minister, the central government has accepted the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission on transfer of resources and devolution of taxes from 32 per cent to 42 per cent.
"The Commission has maintained that since there is already an increase of 10 per cent there is no further need for any other special grants to be passed on to the NE states and other states as special block grants," he said.
