Bhubaneswar, Dec. 7: The NDA government has abolished eight central schemes, a move that will hit development projects in the state.

The schemes range from setting up of model schools at block levels as benchmark of excellence to modernisation of police force. In many cases after the closure of schemes, the state government has started its own schemes funding them from the state budget.

In response to a question in the Assembly, planning and co-ordination minister Usha Devi, in a written reply, said: "The Centre has closed down as many as eight schemes from the 2015-16 financial year."

The minister said 77 centrally planned schemes were being implemented in the state in 2016-17. "Since the 2015-16 financial year, the amount of assistance in the central schemes has reduced, but the state's share has gone up," she said.

Some of the major centrally planned schemes include the Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana, Integrated Water Management Plan, National Food Security Mission, Smart City Yojana, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Project Tiger and the Integrated Development Plan of Wildlife Habitats.

The minister informed the Assembly that as the central government was not releasing the assistance in right time, the state was facing a lot of problems in executing the programmes.

On the issue of state government's failure to utilise the money given under various central sponsored schemes, the minister said: "If the state government fails to spend the money given under a centrally sponsored scheme, the state government instead of returning the money keeps the money for the next year."

However, she maintained that she had directed various departments to utilise 100 per cent central assistance and regularly give the feedback on this issue to the government.

Officials said that as the Centre was releasing funds in the last quarter of a fiscal, it had become difficult to spend the money within a stipulated time frame.

Reacting to the closure of the schemes, BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said: "We have been raising the issue for the past two years. The Centre is claming that as they have replaced the Planning Commission with the Niti Ayog, these schemes have been closed down. Their argument that under the new system of releasing finance under the Niti Ayog, the state will get more assistance is a lie."

Deb said that because of the abolition of the projects, the state was losing nearly Rs 2,300 crore a year.

However, the BJP criticised the ruling party's stand on this issue.

"Over the years, the central assistance to the state has increased. If one analyses their budget, one will find that the major chunk of their state budget comes from the central assistance," said spokesperson for the BJP Sajjan Sharma.

Sharma said the decision to put an end to many schemes was taken by a committee consisting of the chief ministers. "According to the recommendation of the 14th Finance Commission, Odisha's share in revenue would go up. The BJD always believes in placing wrong facts and misleading the people on various issues."