Funds, a perennial bone of contention
LUCKNOW: The centre and the state governments have always shared a no-love-lost relationship on release of funds irrespective of the political dispensation at the helm. Not surprising therefore, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav was quick to remind Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon after the latter assumed office in May of the need to loose purse string for projects in UP that had given the BJP the maximum MPs. METRO RAIL
The centre appeared to have obliged when union finance minister Arun Jaitley announced ` 100 crore assistance for the Lucknow Metro Rail project in his maiden budget speech along with metro rail project for Ahmedabad on July 10. Ever since, while the centre has released its share for the Ahmedabad project, approval for Lucknow metro rail project is stuck in red-tape. HIGHWAYS
For bumpy rides on highways, commuters traversing the state should blame the centre, the UP PWD would like us to believe. The Modi government, according to it, is yet to release funds for the maintenance and repair of 3,600 kilometre of national highways in the state.
The total length of NH in UP is 7,600 km, of which 4,000 km are maintained by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). The state PWD is responsible for the maintenance/repairs for the remaining 3,600 km NH on behalf of the union surface transport and highways ministry.
During 2013-14, the state had received Rs 15 crore for the maintenance of the NH, while for current fiscal, only Rs 4.56 crore had been received, much less than UP needs. Requests for the release of adequate central funds have gone in vain. Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had written to the union surface transport and highways ministry in September 2013 and March 2014 over the poor condition of NH. This was followed up by UP PWD minister Shivpal Singh Yadav, who had also written letters and even personally met the minister concerned in October 2013. However, no headway was made and the condition of roads remained pitiable. IRRIGATION
In August this year, PWD and Irrigation Minister Shivpal Yadav had called on union water resources minister Uma Bharti and urged her to release the centre’s share of funds for various drinking water and irrigation projects for the Bundelkhand region and the rest of UP.
Yadav presented a detailed list of schemes for which the centre had already signed MoU with the UP government but was yet to release its share of funds for the projects. The centre, according to sources, is yet to release Rs 584 crore promised for these joint ventures.