IN the Evaluation Report of Planning Commission for the current financial year responsibility of financial crisis of states has been laid partially on West Bengal along with other states. UPA Government shows the Report whenever states demand for required amount of financial aid for the implementation of Development Programme. But such force and falsification of Planning Commission do not hold good in reality. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya addressing National Development Council meet in New Delhi has turned down all this abhorrent and baseless allegation of Planning Commission. The main reason for the financial crisis of states lies in the lack of balance with regard to Centre-State relationship. States shoulder the main responsibility of development and administrative functioning he said. The burden of such expenditure is sufficient enough. State Government is not in a position to bear alone the pressure of that expenditure. On the other hand State Government can’t collect state resources on its own accord; only because right to collection of natural resources i.e. tax etc is vested with Central Government. Even Centre can bring out notes if necessary. West Bengal Government placed an appeal to 12th Planning Commission to give away 50 percent of the collection of tax among states, but in vain. What has 12th Planning Commission done? They only increased 1 percent from 29-5 to 30-5 percent for state allotment.

Such is the example of attitude towards states. Even after this Central Government irrationally is putting states to blame. UPA Government too hasn’t been founded free from that bad practice, simply because Congress has kept its class character in fact i.e. it has been giving priority to the protection of the interest for the rich class as a whole, despite there is no such dearth of promises given in Common Minimum Programme.

State share with regard to tax has come down from 8.116 to 7.057 percent for West Bengal only because of its remaining in leading position in development sphere. In credit Exemption scheme states i.e. West Bengal and other states making a mentionable enhancement in Small Savings Scheme are not getting any sort of facility. Credit given to states from Small Savings Scheme Fund has been left out of the purview of credit exemption scheme. Chief Minister demanded the change of such decision. He said schemes, in the state list but under Central grant, along with financial help should be handed over to State Government. Ultimately in accidence with the demand of West Bengal UPA Government has decided to form a separate. Committee of National Planning Commission to review National Savings Scheme. Manmohan Singh Government has started considering the issue again only because vehement protest in defence against the complaint was raised on behalf of the state government specially West Bengal.

18th July 2005