New Delhi, May 17 : Slow implementation of projects
and not fund crunch seems to be the reason for lack of
infrastructure development in the northeastern state of
Mizoram, statistics given by the Centre indicate.
Minister for Development of the North Eastern Region
(DoNER) Paban Singh Ghatowar today presented figures in the
Rajya Sabha according to which the state could only utilise
Rs 1,684 crore in the last three years out of Rs 11,304 crore
released by the DoNER Ministry.
Replying to a question, Ghatowar said his Ministry had
released a total of Rs 3,191 crore for nine projects in the
education sector to the state under the Non-Lapsable Central
Pool of Resources (NLCPR) scheme in the last three years out
of only Rs 60 crore has been utilised.
In the health sector, the Ministry released Rs 220 crore
for two projects in the last three years but the state has not
been able to utilise the funds, as per figures presented by
the Ghatowar in the Rajya Sabha.
Similarly an allocation of Rs 2,434 crore was made to the
state under the NLCPR scheme for miscellaneous projects but
only Rs 466 crore has been utilised.
The Ministry had given a total of Rs 513 crore to Mizoram
in 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 but the state has not been
able to utilise the funds.
According to the statistics, the state received a total
allocation of Rs 3,393 crore in the same period out of which
only Rs 759 crore has been utilised.
The DoNER ministry provides central assistance for
developmental projects in the northeastern region under NLCPR
scheme. The North Eastern Council also sanctions projects for
the region.