Council’s revenue estimated at Rs 73.45 crore
Opp members move cut motion
JOWAI: The JHADC on Monday unanimously approved the budget estimate of Rs.79.71 crore for the financial year 2015-16 on the last day of the budget session.
The budget has a deficit of Rs.6.26 crore with an estimated revenue of Rs.73.45 crore.
Prior to the approval of the budget estimate, Opposition members including Moonlight Pariat and Marki Mulieh moved a cut motion but after clarifications from different Executive Members, irrespective of their department, the cut motion was withdrawn and the budget estimate was unanimously approved.
Moving the cut motion, Pariat pointed out that some unnecessary posts had been created in some of the departments which needed to be checked to reduce the JHADC expenditure.
He also pointed out that since the JHADC has no school building of its own the budget provision of Rs.20 lakh should be reduced and provisions for buying books, maps and materials for games and sports should be increased for the benefits of the school children.
The JHADC has estimated a budgetary provision of Rs.21.95 lakh for payment of salary, allowances including travelling expense, to honorary forest advisers to be appointed politically by the Executive Committee.
Supporting the cut motion moved by Pariat, Mulieh questioned the EC on the huge expenditure estimated to be spent on the honorary forest advisers.
Mentioning that the JHADC has estimated Rs.20 lakh for plantation of lemon grass and jatropha, Pariat suggested that Agarbatti plantation also should be taken up by the JHADC for economic growth.
Meanwhile, the JHADC has estimated Rs.2.70 crore for construction and maintenance of District Council rural markets, construction and extension of office building, construction of court building, construction of MDC hostel (payment of contractors’ bills) and construction of Jaintia Dorbar Town Hall, besides other.
Supporting the cut motion, Richard Singh Lyngdoh suggested that the JHADC should include an estimate for upgradation of the Iawpynkat market at Khliehriat.
“Iawmusiang was an important market in the erstwhile undivided Jaintia Hills, but now, East Jaintia Hills also need a similar market complex in the district headquarter; therefore, Iawpynkat should be up-graded for the welfare of the people in the area,” Lyngdoh said.
Lone woman MDC from Khliehriat, Violet Lyngdoh, who supported the cut motion with regards to the Khliehriat Town Committee (KTC), said, “The estimated amount of Rs.50 lakh to Khliehriat Town Committee which is in the form of contribution is not sufficient to meet any development activities in the areas under KTC.”
It may be mentioned that the KTC has around 41 staffs including five elected ward commissioners. The EC led by Thombor Shiwat has amalgamated the Town Committee Affairs Department with the Political department.
In the last financial year 2014-15, the JHADC budget had estimated Rs.1.31 crore for the KTC which included salary of staffs and honorarium to the chairman, vice chairman and sitting allowances to elected members.