Chennai: Observing that political power has
become `fragmented`, Rajya Sabha MP N K Singh has said it was
time for Congress-led UPA to "loosen" its economic control
over the States.
"..Budget is not a panacea to develop the Nation`s
economy..Should we not, after so many years of Independence,
begin to forget what happens in Delhi and begin to see what
happens in Patna, Chennai, Bhubaneshwar, or Mumbai?", Singh
said, delivering his lecture on `Budget 2012`, organised by
Rajaji Institute of Public Affairs here last night.
"If the Central government continues to exercise (its
power) on State governments` -- what schemes you should do,
how should you fund it... It is time they loosen this (stand)
and give up this excessive economic control over States."
Singh, who belongs to JDU, said one should not forget
that about 120 centrally sponsored schemes were being taken
up.
"Where is the money for the schemes coming from?..they
have come from taking money what are normally entitled for
States` and putting them in the Central government`s kitty",
he said.
Noting that the issue on Centre-State relations was
taking `centre-stage` (in the recent past), he said, "there
are too many conflicts which are taking place there (on
centre-state relations).
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had informed him that
an Inter-State economic forum, to be headed by him (Mukherjee)
would be set up to address the issue, Singh said.
The forum would consist of various Chief Ministers` so
that economic issues concerning states can be discussed with
the Centre, he said.
He flayed the union budget, saying the Centre had given
the people promises and hopes "without crafting underpinnings
of that hope...they have created expectations without any
coherence of how those expectations are to be met.."
"..In some ways we are at cross-roads. As far as Indian
economy is concerned, growth has stagnated. Politics look
uncertain and future looks fragile", he said.
PTI
