Uttarakhand’s economic survey has a message for Centre: Allocate more funds now

The Centre would have to allocate more resources for Uttarakhand in view of its tough geographical conditions and crucial eco-system services it provides and any delay in doing so would prove costly for the Himalayan state

The Centre would have to allocate more resources for Uttarakhand in view of its tough geographical conditions and crucial eco-system services it provides and any delay in doing so would prove costly for the Himalayan state, a survey report tabled by the state government in the assembly Wednesday said.

The Economic Survey 2017-18, conducted by the Trivendra Singh Rawat government, cautioned that there shouldn’t be any delay in changing the funding pattern favourable for the resource-crunched hill state. (PTI File)

The Economic Survey 2017-18, conducted by the Trivendra Singh Rawat government also cautioned that there shouldn’t be any delay in changing the funding pattern favourable for the resource-crunched hill state. “Tomorrow will be too late,” the survey report warns.

The survey supports the observation made by the 14th Finance Commission that the special category states were not discriminated against as far as standards that have been set by the Centre for distribution of financial resources are concerned.

The finance commission report also states that resources provided by the Centre to the Special Category States were equal to those allocated to the general category states.

“The philosophy behind the report of that panel is justified,” reads the economic survey report. It, however, clarifies that equal allocation of financial resources to both categories of states was justified when their geographical conditions were similar. “Or, when those two types of states are economically on an even keel,” states the report suggesting that resource-crunched states like Uttarakhand require more financial allocation in comparison.

“The panel would have to make special arrangements (read financial allocations) for the Himalayan states in consultation with those helming the states,” it reads.

The report added that the Himalayan states were different from the other states in terms of their tough terrains and availability of resources.

“That (entire Himalayan) region is very crucial for the rest of the country (owing to the eco system services it provides) but it is also geologically and environmentally fragile,” states the economic survey. It suggests that there was a need to conserve the Himalayan region as a whole and natural resource it is endowed with.

“That also applies to all the 11 Himalayan states,” adds the report that runs through 300 pages.