Govt to incur liabilities of crores of rupees
SHILLONG: Though the State government has entered into an agreement with UALA leading to its disbandment on Thursday coupled with a series of surrender of LAEF and GNLA militants in May last, the government is yet to fulfill the demands of ANVC and ANVC-B militants as per the agreed text of settlement.
Moreover, the disbanded ANVC and ANVC-B cadres are yet to get the one time financial package of Rs.1. 5 lakh per cadre and the pending stipend of Rs.3,500 per month for almost two years.
More than 300 cadres of ANVC and ANVC-B will avail the package which means that the State government will have liabilities of crores of rupees. Other surrendered cadres of LAEF, GNLA and UALA are also supposed to get the same package thereby bringing additional burden to the State exchequer.
While the agreed text of settlement with ANVC and ANVC-B was signed on September 24, 2014, the disbanding ceremony was held on December 15, the same year.
The highlights of the agreed text of settlement include transferring as many as 13 subjects including minor works of Agriculture, Sericulture and Weaving, Animal Husbandry, Fishers and minor irrigation, among others to the GHADC.
The peace text also mentions about strengthening of existing health, road and communication infrastructures to uplift the Garo Hills region. The agreement says that the State government will extend one time funding support to be spread over a period of five years to strengthen the local/traditional institutions at the grass root level.
However, former publicity secretary of ANVC, Arist Sangma, told The Shillong Times on Friday that there was no communication from the government regarding various pending demands of the organization.
While the State government is yet to disburse the one time financial package of Rs.1.5 lakh per cadre, Rs.3,500 monthly stipend per cadre has been pending for long, he said.
When contacted, a State government official said the matter is pending with the police headquarters.
‘Text of agreement violated’
Former ANVC leader Arist Sangma said though the agreed text of settlement states that non heinous crimes will be withdrawn by the State government, the cadres are getting summons from the police for all types of cases.
As per the peace pact, the criminal cases registered against members of ANVC for non heinous crimes will be withdrawn by the State government, whereas criminal cases registered against them for heinous crimes will be reviewed case by case according to the existing policy on the subject, and steps for withdrawal of such cases will be initiated by the State government.
However, Sangma said with no other option, the organization has engaged lawyers to address the plight of the cadres who are regularly summoned by the police and the court without respecting the peace pact.
The former ANVC leader said a delegation will meet the chief minister soon to take up the pending package for the cadres and the court summons.