Assam to get Rs 6,320 crore as crude royalty, says Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
GUWAHATI: For fund-starved Assam, the Centre has come up with a succour, with the government deciding to release Rs 6,320 Crore as part of the crude oil royalty due to the state.
Following the agreement reached between the BJP led government and Centre, the underpayment of royalty case in the Supreme Court is withdrawn.
In August last year Assam received Rs 1449.88 crore which was a part of crude oil royalty at pre-discounted price.
Congress has made the payment of differential royalty by Oil India Limited (OIL) and ONGC as an election issue in the assembly polls in Assam last year.
Soon after the taking the reigns of power in Assam in May last year, Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared it has impeding liability of Rs 10,018.93 Crore for 2016-17 and state is facing tough fiscal situation.
Sarma said, “With Assam getting over Rs 6320 Crore the state will be in comfortable position. Despite congress government in Centre and state the issue of under payment of royalty lingered on since 2008. We will get this amount in three installments, in 2017 Rs 948 Crore will come and in 2017-18 and 2018-19 Rs 2844 Crore and Rs2528 Crore will come to state exchequer.”
He added, “Our budget estimate will move to surplus side and we will able implement ambitious schemes announced in the state budget.”
Assam chief minister Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitely and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, said that the gesture of the Centre will augur well for spearheading a new paradigm of development in the State. (eom)
Following the agreement reached between the BJP led government and Centre, the underpayment of royalty case in the Supreme Court is withdrawn.
In August last year Assam received Rs 1449.88 crore which was a part of crude oil royalty at pre-discounted price.
Congress has made the payment of differential royalty by Oil India Limited (OIL) and ONGC as an election issue in the assembly polls in Assam last year.
Soon after the taking the reigns of power in Assam in May last year, Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared it has impeding liability of Rs 10,018.93 Crore for 2016-17 and state is facing tough fiscal situation.
Sarma said, “With Assam getting over Rs 6320 Crore the state will be in comfortable position. Despite congress government in Centre and state the issue of under payment of royalty lingered on since 2008. We will get this amount in three installments, in 2017 Rs 948 Crore will come and in 2017-18 and 2018-19 Rs 2844 Crore and Rs2528 Crore will come to state exchequer.”
He added, “Our budget estimate will move to surplus side and we will able implement ambitious schemes announced in the state budget.”
Assam chief minister Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitely and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, said that the gesture of the Centre will augur well for spearheading a new paradigm of development in the State. (eom)
