A CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister, Chowna Mein, who also holds the portfolio as Minister for Finance & Planning department, has assured to lift the halt in government cheques issued to the contractors.
The Minister's assurance came after the All Arunachal Contractors Welfare Association (AACWA) has demanded the State government to lift the halt of government Cheques and white paper on schemes under Plan & Non Plan heads.
Failing to meet with the demands, the Association had threatened to stop the entire ongoing development work in the State.
Speaking to the media, AACWA president Nabam Akin Hina said that the DCM office had called him to meet him at his office today. Accordingly, DCM has informed that an amount of Rs. 700 Crore has been received by the state on Wednesday, he stated, adding that the uncleared cheques of contractors are being cleared from Monday on a phasewise manner. The Minister has also requested the Union not to encourage a kind of blockade affecting the State's economy.
"According to the Deputy Chief Minister , there was no intention from the State government to halt the cheques. The money could not be released as it was not credited to the department by the Union government," he informed.
He also pointed out that as the State's revenue is low, the State is dependent on Central funds.
On the Association's demand for a white paper on schemes under the Plan and also the Non Plan heads, Hina said that the Deputy Chief Minister Minister has been appraised about the matter, adding that he has his own explanation on it. "However, the union will take up the issue till the truth is unearthed by next year. The Non-plan head funds created problems," he said, adding that the union will find out the areas where the funds allocated on the non-plan head are being utilized.