Guwahati, Sep 26 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said it is his government’s endeavour to ensure that the state emerges as a net contributor in India’s quest to become the third largest economy.
In a bid to achieve this goal, the Assam government made “insightful” submissions before the 16th Finance Commission, which can help strengthen cooperative federalism, address challenges and strike a fine balance between equity and efficiency, Sarma said.
“I had a good interaction with members of the 16th Finance Commission and its distinguished Chairman Shri @APanagariya Ji,” he said in a post on X.
Sarma said he also highlighted before the Commission the unique challenges and costs faced by Assam, such as its diverse geography, the impact of climate change, multiple international borders, and the looming threat of demographic shifts. “Despite these challenges, we have managed to achieve higher capital expenditure and demonstrated strong performance across critical sectors including health, education, drinking water, infrastructure, local governance, disaster mitigation, and power,” he said.
Sarma pointed out that to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making the northeast a growth engine, greater fund devolution is critical.
“In today’s meeting, I urged the Commission to increase Assam’s inter-se share within the framework of horizontal devolution and to consider treating the North-East as a collective block by allocating 10 per cent of central funds to the 8 states,” the chief minister said.
The region’s unique challenges demand tailored solutions, and bridging regional disparities is the only path forward, he said.
“I am confident that the 16th Finance Commission will take our circumstances into favourable consideration,” Sarma said.
During the meeting, Sarma said the finance department laid out an extensive presentation, showcasing the state’s remarkable strides in key sectors like power, industry, Jal Jeevan, disaster management, housing and urban planning, water resources, capital investment and water transportation.
Highlighting Assam’s developmental strides, the CM pointed out how Assam has experienced a substantial uplift in its law and order situation, a critical factor that has attracted increasing investments in the state, an official release said.
The members of the Commission had arrived here on Wednesday on a four-day tour to Assam. PTI DG RBT
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