Dimapur, November 17 (MExN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) today denounced the Naga Peoples’ Front-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government for downplaying Nagaland’s huge debt – a debt that is almost one-third of Nagaland’s own Annual Plan Budget.
For a small non-revenue generating State like Nagaland, the Congress stated today, if the NPF government thinks an outstanding debt of Rs.5221.61 crore and a debt servicing of 19.28% or Rs. 785.09 crore (one fifth of total non-plan expenditure budget of Rs. 4071.60 crore) per financial year are not a cause for alarm, then “God have mercy on Nagas.”
The debt of Rs.5221.61 crore almost one third of the State’s annual Plan budget which was Rs. 1810 crore for 2011-12, the NPCC’s media bureau reminded in a statement today.
“Why did the Additional Chief Secretary and Finance Commissioner evaded in spelling out the limit prescribed by the Thirteenth Finance Commission (TFC)? It didn’t make much difference whether the outstanding debt was over Rs. 8000 crore or Rs. 5221.61 crore,” the NPCC said. ‘What matters is that the NPF government is debt-laden and the burden has been put on the common men.’
The Congress also challenged the “Finance Minister” of Nagaland – the chief minister – why he is ‘afraid’ to respond to the queries of the Congress concerning the government’s management of the state’s finance.
The NPCC then denounced the NPF-led DAN government’s habit of using bureaucrats to respond to queries that have political substance. The NPCC was referring to yet another statement again from the state’s Finance Commissioner in response to the Congress’ questioning DAN’s financial management.
The media bureau of the NPCC called “unfortunate precedence” the practice of using bureaucrats – “their stooges” – to issue political statements on a political organization’s behalf.
The response from the NPCC media cell stated: “This is not the first time that the Additional Chief Secretary and Finance Commissioner Shri. Toshi Aier had become the stooge.
The clarification issued by him was political in nature in that he had directly responded to the Congress by calling the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee by name. The NPCC calls for restraint and decorum in future. The bureaucracy should leave the political parties to fight their own battles. Was the Finance Minister afraid to respond?”
Concerning NPF president Dr. Shürhozelie’s saying that the ‘Nagas were never beggars,’ the NPCC reacted by querying “so, why did the NPF set the shameful precedence?” Demanding to know what legitimate right he was ‘talking about,’ the opposition remarked why one has to call it “legitimate” when the State has not contributed anything to the central government in revenue.
“The centre had not failed in releasing the normal allocations (legitimate rights) to the State. It is a pity that they misunderstood even the special financial assistance and special plan assistance extended by the saving grace of the GoI as legitimate rights of the Nagas. If they are not ‘beggars’, they must be ‘burglars.’”
On the NPF’s so-called “unsolicited support” to the United Progressive Alliance, the opposition said it was motivated only “with an eye to beg for money, money and more money.”
“Else, why had they pointed fingers at the UPA government on other issues? If they are one of UPA’s equal partners, why had they voted against the UPA government on nuclear issue which was of paramount national interest?”
Even if they did not require supporting the UPA government, the NPCC explained, “Do they have the choice.” The NPCC called it a pity that the UPA had “not noticed the foreheads of their two-party MPs” and that the NPF had to take the “pain of reminding the public again and again.”
For a small non-revenue generating State like Nagaland, the Congress stated today, if the NPF government thinks an outstanding debt of Rs.5221.61 crore and a debt servicing of 19.28% or Rs. 785.09 crore (one fifth of total non-plan expenditure budget of Rs. 4071.60 crore) per financial year are not a cause for alarm, then “God have mercy on Nagas.”
The debt of Rs.5221.61 crore almost one third of the State’s annual Plan budget which was Rs. 1810 crore for 2011-12, the NPCC’s media bureau reminded in a statement today.
“Why did the Additional Chief Secretary and Finance Commissioner evaded in spelling out the limit prescribed by the Thirteenth Finance Commission (TFC)? It didn’t make much difference whether the outstanding debt was over Rs. 8000 crore or Rs. 5221.61 crore,” the NPCC said. ‘What matters is that the NPF government is debt-laden and the burden has been put on the common men.’
The Congress also challenged the “Finance Minister” of Nagaland – the chief minister – why he is ‘afraid’ to respond to the queries of the Congress concerning the government’s management of the state’s finance.
The NPCC then denounced the NPF-led DAN government’s habit of using bureaucrats to respond to queries that have political substance. The NPCC was referring to yet another statement again from the state’s Finance Commissioner in response to the Congress’ questioning DAN’s financial management.
The media bureau of the NPCC called “unfortunate precedence” the practice of using bureaucrats – “their stooges” – to issue political statements on a political organization’s behalf.
The response from the NPCC media cell stated: “This is not the first time that the Additional Chief Secretary and Finance Commissioner Shri. Toshi Aier had become the stooge.
The clarification issued by him was political in nature in that he had directly responded to the Congress by calling the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee by name. The NPCC calls for restraint and decorum in future. The bureaucracy should leave the political parties to fight their own battles. Was the Finance Minister afraid to respond?”
Concerning NPF president Dr. Shürhozelie’s saying that the ‘Nagas were never beggars,’ the NPCC reacted by querying “so, why did the NPF set the shameful precedence?” Demanding to know what legitimate right he was ‘talking about,’ the opposition remarked why one has to call it “legitimate” when the State has not contributed anything to the central government in revenue.
“The centre had not failed in releasing the normal allocations (legitimate rights) to the State. It is a pity that they misunderstood even the special financial assistance and special plan assistance extended by the saving grace of the GoI as legitimate rights of the Nagas. If they are not ‘beggars’, they must be ‘burglars.’”
On the NPF’s so-called “unsolicited support” to the United Progressive Alliance, the opposition said it was motivated only “with an eye to beg for money, money and more money.”
“Else, why had they pointed fingers at the UPA government on other issues? If they are one of UPA’s equal partners, why had they voted against the UPA government on nuclear issue which was of paramount national interest?”
Even if they did not require supporting the UPA government, the NPCC explained, “Do they have the choice.” The NPCC called it a pity that the UPA had “not noticed the foreheads of their two-party MPs” and that the NPF had to take the “pain of reminding the public again and again.”
