Cong blames DAN ‘misgovernace’ for State’s present fiscal woes

EMN
DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 28

In response to TR Zeliang government putting the blame on 13th Finance Commission for the present fiscal woes of the State, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has faulted the NPF-led DAN government’s ‘misgovernance’ for the present precarious financial position and said it has no one else to blame for the same.
“Despite the generosity of successive Central governments led by BJP and later by the Congress, the NPF-led DAN government has landed itself into a precarious position created by its own misgovernance and has no one else to blame,” a release from the media cell of NPCC on Friday.
It said the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues have perfected the art of blaming the present financial woes faced by the State on the 13th Finance Commission at every given opportunity to cover their blatant misdeeds and corrupt activities that has now resulted into a staggering deficit of Rs 1252.45 crore ending March 2014.
The release recalled that the NPCC had earlier brought out the facts and figures of 1,25,309 State government employees generating huge burden on the state exchequer by gobbling up over 62% of the total revenue expenditure which is over and above the 35% limit set by the 13th Finance Commission. The Congress said it brought the facts and figures so as to enlighten the public on how the present government miserably failed to govern the State.
To corroborate its points, the State Congress again brought up the issue of deplorable road conditions across the State despite huge funding from the Centre.
Alleging that the State government has failed to bring out the works programme for the second consecutive year due to plan holiday, the Congress highlighted the 13th Finance Commission award in road sector and said the sanction of funds does not match the poorly executed works on ground. The party also furnished tables to illustrate the amount of works executed under R&B department through the 13th Finance Commission award for 2013-14 and 2014-15.
The Congress said the pothole-ridden roads of the State bear testimony to the misgovernance perpetrated by the NPF-led DAN government for the past 12 years despite hundreds and thousands of crores of rupees being pumped into the State road sector. It said the funding began with the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee granting Rs 400 crore for expansion of Kohima-Dimapur road into four lanes during his visit to the State in 2003. The Congress-led UPA government at the Centre for the next 10 years (2004-2014) continued the momentum irrespective of party in power in the State by generously doling out thousands of crores of rupees under various schemes for improved connectivity in road sector, the Congress added.
Pointing out that the State is currently on a plan holiday for the second year running, the party said various State government employees associations are on agitations for nonpayment of salaries running into 5-6 months. It went on to state that non release of payments to contractors and suppliers barring few privileged ones and the total dilapidated condition of the State infrastructure all across the State sums up the sordid state of affairs.
Inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Hornbill Festival in the midst of financial ruins and eagerly anticipating a bailout package will be a farfetched dream for the NPF-led DAN government unless the Prime Minister makes a U-turn on corruption issues and decides to compromise with the corrupt activities of the NPF-led DAN government, the State Congress felt.