No substance in PM charge, says Nitish

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Referring to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s charge that the NDA government had failed to discharge its responsibilities for utilisation of the assistance worth `1,000 crores provided by the Centre since 2004, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said, “There is no substance in it.”
Mr Kumar said under the Bihar Reorganisation Act, which came into force when Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar, the NDA government had devised a formula for providing special package of `1,000 crores every year since 2002 to compensate the losses incurred by the state with minerally rich areas going to Jharkhand.
Besides, a special cell was created under the Planning Commission when K.C. Pant was its chairman to monitor utilisation of the assistance, he said.
It was also decided that the Central agencies would be tasked with execution of the schemes under the direct control of the Planning Commission following certain objections raised by the erstwhile Rabri Devi regime with the Centre, Mr Kumar said.
“Subsequently, because of the lack of initiative, the release of the assistance got piled up,” he said, noting after formation of the NDA government in November 2005, he had relentlessly tried to raise the issue of release of the assistance and engaging the Central agencies for completing the schemes in Bihar.
“I even personally persuaded the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia and I express my gratitude that Ahluwalia took an initiative and held a meeting with the central agencies for implementing the schemes with the utilisation of the central assistance,” Mr Nitish Kumar said.
“I am rather surprised to hear from an economist like Dr Singh that the amount of the assistance is not being properly utilised in Bihar,” he said, adding the state’s role in the entire episode was “just notional” and the funds were being directly given by the Centre to central agencies for roads and sub-transmission system.
“It is unfortunate that even an economist like Manmohan Singhji is not aware of the fact though he is also chairman of the Planning Commission,” the chief minister said.
“Sir, I will like to know from you the veracity of your charge... It is nothing but to mislead the people,” Mr Kumar said and challenged that he was ready for an open debate with the Prime Minister and other Congress leaders on the issue.
“In fact, the Prime Minister and other Congress leaders are engaging in hit-and-run (tactics) and misleading people for politics of vote,” he said.
“Sir, maine apni zindagi mein durupyog nahin sikha hai (I have not learnt misuse (of any thing) in my life,” the chief minister said while refuting the Prime Minister’s allegation.
Mr Nitish Kumar also castigated the Prime Minister for placing “distorted” facts about the central assistance of `1,000 crores every year since 2004.