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Budget 2014 does not meet NP’s peculiar needs, says Chief Minister
View(s):The needs of the former war-torn Northern Province are not properly reflected in the 2014 Budget and therefore the Provincial Council will seek financial resources from stake holders within the country as well as well-wishers living abroad, said Northern Provincial Council Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran.
He said the capital allocation for the Northern Provincial Council is Rs. 5,831 million out of the total budget capital allocation of Rs. 1,341,000 million.
“We have been repeatedly reiterating that the Northern Province is a conflict emerging society which has its own special problems and complexities that cannot be tackled under the National Policies which are decided on the basis of national parameters. We have huge gaps and problems in terms of development capacities of stake holders of governance, specific social issues and war impacts,” said the Chief Minister.
He said it has been observed that a few successful programmes which gave life blood to the rural livelihood have been unethically suppressed and funds diverted for other purposes.
“Therefore it is inevitable that the Northern Provincial Council while exploring all possible avenues within the current power sharing framework, do the maximum possible to the people at least to cater to their urgent priority needs. It is inevitable that we resort to other means of soliciting financial resources,” he added.
According to Mr. Wigneswaran, for this purpose it is proposed to liberally utilise the provisions under Section 22 of the Provincial Council Act.
“We will also endeavour to take charge of all the projects to be executed in the Province by the Government, to control the full implementation and responsibility of these projects,” Mr.Wigneswaran said.