SHILLONG: The Congress-led Opposition in the KHADC on Wednesday expressed strong reservation over the failure of the Executive Committee (EC) to utilize funds released under the 13th Finance Commission for the year 2012-2013.
“It is disappointing that the EC could not utilize the funds earmarked for the Council under the 13th Finance Commission. I have a fear that we might be losing the funds due to the time factor. We have exactly five months to utilize the balance amount sanctioned for the year 2012-13 and 2013-2014 before the end of the present financial year,” Congress MDC Antonio War said during Question Hour on the final day of the two-day KHADC Session here.
In reply, Deputy CEM in charge of Civil Works and Development, Teinwell Dkhar, said that the Council had submitted proposals amounting to Rs.6.77 crore to the 13th Finance Commission.
“We will try to follow up with the Government to ensure timely release of the sanctioned amount,” Dkhar said.
He informed that out of the total Rs.12.14 crore sanctioned for developmental schemes under the 13th Finance Commission, the Council was still awaiting sanction of around Rs.9 crore which was pending due to non submission of Utilization Certificates (UCs).
MDC questions EC
on leasing out of check
gates to private parties
Congress MDC Antonio War on Wednesday questioned the decision of the Executive Committee to lease Forest Revenue check gates to private parties despite the fact that the lease agreement with the various private parties had been scrapped by the previous EC led by Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit.
“I am surprised at this decision since the previous EC had claimed that the revenue collection had drastically gone up after the department started collection on its own after scrapping the lease agreement with the private parties,” War said during the Question Hour, while demanding clarification on why the present EC had leased out the check gates to the private parties.
In reply, KHADC CEM Adelbert Nongrum claimed that the EC had not leased out all the check gates.
“We have leased out only seven of the check gates. The remaining check gates are still being run by the department,” he said.
In reply to a supplementary question, Nongrum said that the check gates had been leased out to private parties from the period October 1, 2014 till March 30, 2015.
Congress MDC demands
computerization of KHADC’s Taxation dept
Congress MDC Antonio War (Laitumkhrah) on Wednesday suggested the need to streamline the process of collection of professional tax by the KHADC.
“I am of the view that the process of collection of professional taxes should be fully computerized. This will greatly help to increase the revenue generation of the Council,” War said during the Question Hour.
In her reply, EM in charge of Professional and Taxation department, Grace Mary Kharpuri, said that a software has already been created and the department will be fully computerized.
Kharpuri informed the House that altogether 1146 business establishments and individuals have been paying professional tax. The total amount realized as professional tax from business establishments and individuals in Iewduh alone is Rs.5.02 lakh during the current fiscal year, she stated.