Guwahati Feb 21 (IANS) The Central government will clear entire outstanding oil royalty dues of Assam -- to the tune of Rs 6 320 crore -- over a period of three financial years a state minister said on Tuesday.
Addressing a a press conference here Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the amount has been pending due to a case in the Supreme Court since 2008.
While the central government will pay first instalment of Rs 948 crore in the current financial year the second instalment of Rs 2 844 crore will be cleared by 2017-18 fiscal. Similarly the third instalment of Rs 2 528 crore will be paid in the subsequent financial year 2018-19 said Sarma.
This amount of Rs 6 320 crore is in addition to Rs 1 450 crore which has already been released by the central government Sarma added.
The issue was pending since 2008 when there was a Congress government at the Centre as well as in Assam. The state government was fighting in the apex court over the royalty since 2008 Sarma said.
I would like to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the initiative and solving the long-pending issue said the Assam Finance Minister.
It is an achievement on our part that we have been able to receive such a huge amount in less than nine months of coming to power in Assam. This is going to improve the financial condition of Assam to a great extent he said.
He expressed the hope that next year s budget in Assam would have at least Rs 1 000-crore in surplus.
--IANS
ah/nir/vt
Centre to pay oil royalty dues to Assam: State minister
