SHILLONG: HSPDP legislator Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit has urged upon the State Government to release pending dues on the share of royalties from the various minerals to the three Autonomous District Councils (ADCs).
“The main source of revenue of the district councils is their share of royalty on minor and major minerals which is shared between the State Government and the Councils in the ratio 75:25 in respect of coal and 40:60 in respect of other minerals. The ground realities speak otherwise,” Basaiawmoit said who is also the KHADC CEM said while participating in the general discussion on the budget in the Assembly on Monday.
According to him, the fact remains that the District Council never received its share as it ought to be from the Government.
With the presence situation and in view of the imposition of the ban on coal mine by the NGT, the KHADC CEM strongly felt that the Government will have to find an alternative to support the District Council.
“If the government is sincere enough to support the district council it should immediately release all the dues and also ensure regular release of share to them,” Basaiawmoit said.
On the power scenario, the HSPDP legislator said that the State which had once faced a difficulty to dispose surplus power is now reeling under a serious problem even to meet its own requirements.
“Power failure is not a recent development or a new phenomenon, it has been there for quite a number of years and seems to continue since no concrete and backup plan is visible from the policy of the Government,” Basaiawmoit said.
He said that the State has undergone the worst ever situation as far as power supply is concerned.
“Not long ago that the State government has shown its generosity towards our neighboring State, Assam where it waved off its debt. And so soon the people of the State is now suffering from frequent interrupted power supply coupled with the hike in the tariff which have really had a direct and huge impact on the poor section of the people,” he said.