Thursday, March 23 2006 16:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kohima: Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today (Mar 23 2006) sought cooperation of all members, government officials and the people at large to translate the government's plans and programmes into a reality for the overall development of the state.

Replying to the general discussion on the budget, Rio, who also holds the finance portfolio, assured the members to look into their grievances and suggestions.

The chief minister said poor attendance of employees in civil secretariat as well as in district headquarters had been a serious concern for the government and assured the house to improve it at any cost.

He refuted the allegation of opposition members that there was no equitable distribution of resources or development funds in the state and asserted that the government invested more in constituencies represented by the opposition members than ruling coalition partners.

The chief minister said during the last three years his government accorded top priority for development activities in backward areas and made available sufficient fund for the purpose. Under Rashtriya Sama Vikash Yojna (RSVY), many schemes have been taken up in Mon, Tuensang and Kiphire districts.

Rio also dismissed the opposition assertion that the budget for 2006-07 was an unrealistic one, saying the growth projection and targeted internal revenue collection could be achieved with cooperation of all concerned.

Figures projected in the budget were realistic

Asserting that all figures projected in the budget were realistic and gave the correct picture of state's economic and fiscal health, the chief minister also dismissed Congress members Takamasa's contention that the budget would end up with over Rs 700 crore deficit and insisted that the government could successfully manage the revenue gap as projected in the current year's budget.

He informed the house that although the government estimated the deficit for the current year (2005-06) at over Rs 400 crore, the revised estimate of deficit stood at little over Rs 263 crore due to generous awards to the state from the 12th finance commission.

He said the government could have brought down the deficit further but it had to meet unforseen expenditure to the tune of over Rs 20 crore to bail out state owned Nagaland Cooperative Bank, Nagaland Industrial Development Corporation (NIDC).

Rio informed the house that the implementation of the money lenders bill and fiscal responsibility and budget management bill got delayed because the governor sought more clarifications on certain provisions of the bills.

The chief minister also assured the members to look into their suggestions of taking strong exception to unauthorized occupation and encroachment of government property by the individuals.

He said the government already directed the revenue officers concerned not to allot the government houses or lands to private individuals, and asked all departments to procure land pattas or documents to claim the ownership of lands which they had purchased from the individuals.