SHILLONG: The Union government has sanctioned Rs 267.4 crore as one time assistance for the three autonomous district councils of the State.
Informing this here on Tuesday, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, however, expressed concern over the approach of the Union government and added that assistance to the district councils must be passed on a regular basis.
According to the chief minister, the 14th Finance Commission did not give any recommendation for providing funds to the autonomous district councils in the State, and added that the Central government can give funds to the State which can be passed on to the ADCs.
He informed that the Central government had recently indicated to the State that the ADCs would be provided funds on the condition that the district councils should sanction developmental projects.
The chief minister further mentioned that he would call a meeting of the ADCs in the State to discuss the matter.
Sangma also said that the support of the centre to the district councils is specific to creating assistance in sync with the objective of serving the community.
NDA Govt does not understand complexities of NE: Mukul
The chief minister minced no words in slammed the BJP led NDA government at the Centre for failing to understand the complexity of the problems of the Northeastern states even as he castigated the Union government for not taking any follow up measures for setting up of four additional border haats in Meghalaya which had been approved by the erstwhile Congress led UPA government.
Sangma said that the State government is yet to know the fate of the four additional border haats which were approved by the previous government.
Stating that border haats could prove to be the game changer for people living in border areas, he questioned the delay in announcement of the same despite the fact that 50 per cent of the funds for the project had been released.
He, however, asserted that the matter had been taken up at the Ministry level and added that the process of constructing the border haats would be expedited.
It may be mentioned that two border haats in East Khasi Hills, one in South Garo Hills and one in West Khasi Hills were approved by the erstwhile UPA government.
Launching a scratching attack on the NDA government, Sangma accused the Centre of withdrawing many developmental programmes from the Northeastern region which affected the momentum of development. He also lamented that the NDA government withdrew the programme for creating necessary infrastructure for promoting trade and commerce in the country even as he added that special block grants for the Northeastern states had also been withdrawn.
“I have met the Prime Minister on the matter and followed it up with several letters but we are yet to get any favourable reply,” Sangma said, while demanding restoration of the special block grants.
He further said some projects in Ri Bhoi district had been sanctioned at a cost of Rs 10 crore under the Border Region Grant Funds (BRGF) but the programme was stopped and the projects were hanging fire.
On the peace pact with the ANVC and ANVC-B groups, the chief minister said the State and Central governments need to jointly take the responsibility of following up the post peace signing process but it is being shown that the whole responsibility of pact follow up lies with the State government.
