UP urges Centre to release aid

Uttar Pradesh minister for micro small and medium enterprises Sidharth Nath Singh met Niti Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar on Friday and informed him that the union

Uttar Pradesh minister for micro small and medium enterprises Sidharth Nath Singh met Niti Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar on Friday and informed him that the union government had released central assistance of only Rs 22,587.75 crore (Rs 225.87 billion) by September 2019 and the remaining amount should be disbursed soon.

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Singh said the state government’s 49 departments were supposed to get Rs 69459.24 crore (Rs 694.59 billion) central assistance by September 2019. Out of this amount, a sum of Rs 22587.75 crore only had been released, he said.

Besides the central assistance, the proposals for 19 departments were pending with the Centre. Singh said the joint working groups of the Centre and the state governments should be activated.

He said the working group included health, education, nutrition, rural development, agriculture, drinking water, irrigation and industry departments and their meeting should be convened soon.

An official spokesman said Rajiv Kumar has given an assurance of early release of remaining central assistance and quick disposal of proposals pending with the Centre.