SHILLONG: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Wednesday announced that the State government would release the Central funds to the three autonomous district councils in the State shortly since the Union government has issued the guidelines for release of the funds.
Clearing the air on the delay in release of the funds sanctioned by the Centre, the chief minister said the Central government issued the guidelines earlier this month for release of the special assistance to the autonomous district councils.
Talking to newsmen here, the chief minister said the Central government has given a special assistance of Rs.1000 crores to the autonomous district councils in the North East and the total allocation for the three ADCs in the State is Rs.267.40 crores out of which KHADC will get Rs.133.12 crores, while the GHADC and the JHADC will get Rs.100.71 crores and Rs.33.57 crores, respectively.
According to the chief minister, the State government had sought clarification from the Centre because as per the original sanction letter the State will have to prepare projects, monitor their implementation and also ensure submission of utilization certificates.
He further informed that under the guidelines, a district council level committee and a state level committee has to be constituted to be headed by the chief executive member and the chief secretary, respectively.
He also informed that the district council level committee would have to hold consultations with MLAs and MPs while proposing the project, while on the other hand, the state level committee would examine the project proposals since the funds are to be used to provide basic civic services.
“As per the guidelines, the state level committee would approve suitable projects and intimate the details of the approved projects to Niti Aayog,” the chief minister said, adding that if the district councils are ready with the proposals, they can send them to the State government.
He also said that there should be complete monitoring of the projects and the State government would soon notify the state level committee.
Different areas like water, sanitation, sewage, roads and street lights will be covered under the special assistance provided by the Central government.
Earlier, NPP leader and Tura MP Conrad K. Sangma had accused the State government of intentionally delaying the special funds for the three district councils in the State which was released in February this year.
‘Centre’s prerogative to strengthen ADCs’
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has said that it is the responsibility of the Central government to amend the constitutional provisions to increase the seats in the three autonomous district councils as per the final text settlement agreement signed between the ANVC and ANVC-B, the State government and the Central government.
The chief minister said as per the agreement, the number of seats in the KHADC and GHADC was supposed to be increased to 40 while the strength of the JHADC was to be hiked to 35, but the same has not happened till date.
“We will take up the matter with the Union government,” the chief minister said, while speaking of the need for a collective endeavour of the ADCs and the State government to ensure that mandate of the agreement is implemented in letter and spirit.
Reacting to a query about the poor financial condition of the GHADC, the chief minister said there has been shortage of funds in GHADC since a long time and many times employees are not being paid their salaries.
“The State government has gone the extra mile in releasing advance funds from their entitlements,” he said, adding there is a need to examine how the autonomous district councils can mop up resources not only for salaries of their employees but even for developmental activities.
