From Our Correspondent
NONGSTOIN: Declaration of assets by candidates for the February 23 polls has shed new light into the income, property, investments and savings of the possible future legislators of the State.
Similarly, in the 32-Nongstoin AC in West Khasi Hills District, the asset declaration has brought to light facts about the moveable and immoveable assets of the candidates.
The Congress candidate from the Assembly constituency Dr Adviser Pariong has declared the total value of his moveable and immoveable assets etc. to be worth a staggering Rs 8.01 crore.
Interestingly, total value of Pariong’s assets during the 2008 Assembly election, when he won from the erstwhile Pariong AC on an HSPDP ticket, was Rs 31.69 lakh. This shows an increase of almost Rs 7 crore in five years.
The increase, sources say has raised a few eyebrows as the people of the erstwhile Pariong AC had alleged misappropriation of funds in the Special Rural Works Programme (SRWP). The KSU Mawthadraishan circle had also leveled charges against Dr Pariong accusing him of diverting funds from Pariong to Nongstoin to reap political benefits.
It may be mentioned that the salary of an MLA is Rs 1 lakh per month which sums up to Rs 60 lakh in five years.
Meanwhile, HSPDP supremo and candidate from Nongstoin, Hopingstone Lyngdoh has declared assets worth Rs 25.69 lakh. In the last Assembly Election in 2008, he had declared his assets to be Rs 2.83 lakh.
UDP candidate and coal baron Nassar Marwein declared Rs 24.26 lakh of assets. NPP candidate Set Singh Dkhar a former accountant and shop-owner declared his assets as Rs 2. 25 lakh while Independent candidate and cobbler Mathiewly Nongrem declared his assets as Rs 82,283.
