Guwahati, Sept. 8: The Centre has agreed to provide a hundred per cent assistance to the National Cadet Corps (NCC) training courses and camps held in the northeastern states and Jammu & Kashmir.

This was decided in the 16th Joint State Representatives and Deputy Directors General (DDG) NCC Conference 2005, presided over by Union minister of state for defence B.K. Handique, in New Delhi on Wednesday.

According to the new structure, the respective states will have to bear the expenses for the salaries and other requirements of the defence personnel engaged in the NCC schemes and the Centre will bear the expenses for courses and camps.

Earlier, the states had to bear 50 per cent of expenses for the courses and camps while the Centre used to assist with the remaining amount. The pattern of funding for the rest of the states have been made 75 per cent Central grants against 25 per cent state share for courses and camps.

The central funding was granted after DDG for the region, Brig. S.S. Chikara, lodged a complaint against the Assam sports and youth welfare department of failing to meet the NCC?s demands for funds.

The Assam government has raised the budgetary allocation towards the NCC by almost 40 per cent since 2003-04 fiscal. Earlier, the state used to grant Rs 8.5 lakh annually, which has been raised to Rs 60 lakh.

Sources said Assam commissioner of sports Pradip Hazarika and director of sports Dhruba Hazarika, who represented the state in the meeting, contested the DDG?s allegations and demanded a separate DDG office for Assam. The chief minister?s office had earlier approved the proposal of demand for a separate DDG office.

The officials said the Shillong-based DDG has been ?overburdened with activities related to seven states, causing administrative difficulties?.