PDF wants all district councils in North East to raise voice in unison
SHILLONG: Taken by surprise that the 14th Finance Commission have not allocate any funds in terms of grant-in-aid to the Autonomous District Council (ADCs) in the Northeastern region including in Meghalaya, the Opposition Alliance (PDF) in the KHADC is planning to urge the Executive Committee (EC) to garner the support of all the ADCs in the Northeastern states and raise the issue with the Centre.
“It is important that all the ADCs jointly raise this issue with the Centre. With one single voice we should impress upon the Centre to make allocation from the consolidated funds in accordance with Article 275 (1) of the Constitution as recommended by the members of the 14th Finance Commission,” PDF chairman Pynshngain N Syiem told newsmen after a meeting of the Opposition alliance here on Wednesday.
Quoting the recommendations of the members of the 14th Finance Commission, Syiem said, “We urge the Union government to consider a larger, sustained and more effective direct intervention for the up-gradation of administration as well as development of the areas covered under the proviso to Article 275 (1) and excluded from the consideration of Finance Commissions in the Terms of Reference, in order to bring such areas on par with other areas administration.”
The PDF chairman said that they will urge the EC to garner the support of all the ADCs in the Northeastern states on the matter.
While recalling that during the 13th Finance Commission, a total of Rs.432 crore was allotted to the three ADCs in the State, Syiem said the zero allocation of funds by the 14th Finance Commission will have a great impact on the overall functioning of the Council since there will be no development in the next four years.
The PDF chairman also recalled that the previous Executive Committee (EC) led by Khasi Hills United Democratic Alliance (KHUDA) under his leadership had submitted a memorandum seeking Rs.200 crore from the 14th Finance Commission.
He lamented that the ARPA EC had failed to follow up on the matter resulting in the zero allocation by the 14th Finance Commission which will not only affect the functioning of the KHADC but also the payment of salaries and allocations to the various traditional institutions for developmental activities.
“This is a matter of life and death for the Council but the ARPA appears to be not alive to the issue,” the PDF chairman said, adding, “This is why the PDF will pressurize the ARPA to take steps to arrange for a delegation to go to Delhi at the earliest”.
He also stated that if the ARPA EC led by Adelbert Nongrum failed to take up the matter at the earliest possible, the PDF would have no other option but to submit a memorandum to the Centre on its own.