We have kudos to the Sub-Group of Chief Ministers on Rationalization of Centrally Sponsored Schemes, which has reportedly endorsed major demands of the Jammu and Kashmir projected by the Chief Minister. The report will go to National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, headed by the Prime Minister. Narendra Modi would take final decision on the recommendations made to it. For quite some time, we had been exhorting the Government of J&K to deliberate on the question of why Centrally Sponsored Schemes largely remain incomplete and thus put the State at a loss. In its recent meeting, the sub-committee thrashed the issue thoroughly. The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh heads the Sub-Group of ten Chief Ministers dealing with the issue. J&K was able to convince the sub-group on the question why the State needed extraordinary treatment and flexibility in handling various Centrally Sponsored Schemes. Geography, topography, climatic conditions, reduced number of workdays during winter and the difficulties of accessibility, all have been thoroughly explained and the sub-group was convinced about the ground reality in J&K State. After all twenty-six years of unabated armed insurgency sponsored and abetted from across the border has taken heavy toll of the economy of the State and it will take long time, effort and money to reconstruct Kashmir.
The Sub-Group has endorsed the stand of J&K vis-à-vis uniform funding in the Central-State ratio of 90:10 for all the Centrally Sponsored Schemes. At present, the pattern of assistance under these schemes varies and in number of schemes, the funding pattern is not as per Special Category Status. In certain schemes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the funding pattern is 65:35 and in Indira Awas Yojana and Mid-Day Meal Schemes, the same is 75:25.
We are hopeful that the Union Cabinet will show due respect to the suggestions and recommendations of the sub-group. That will remove recurring irritant between the State and the Centre in the matters of developmental schemes. We do not want that J&K should suffer because of smaller things like Utilization Certificate etc. These are formalities and have to be completed but release of installments should not be withheld because of small lapses here or there, more often made unintentionally.
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