Regional imbalance alleged in release of Central funds

SHILLONG: The A·chik Indigenous Justice Initiative Forum (AIJIF) has petitioned the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma over the allocation of projects in Khasi Hills under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) and has called for maintaining regional balance as far as allocation of projects are concerned.
Alex K. Sangma, Director of the organisation said the central government under the newly approved Central Sector Scheme of North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) sanctioned five projects for Meghalaya and Meghalaya will have schemes for power supply in Shillong, water supply in Sohra, and construction of road from Mawsmai to Shella and another road to Mawsynram (all in East Khasi Hills district).
“This is a welcome initiative from the side of the Central government but the concentration of all the five projects in one district of Meghalaya widens the existing regional imbalance and disparity in the state of Meghalaya” he said.
The NGO said East Khasi Hills received the projects totally whereas the relatively deprived Garo Hills and Jaintia Hills have yet again been deprived from the opportunity to develop and grow.
“This step brotherly treatment for Garo Hills and Jaintia Hills aggravates the sense of discontentment and despair among the Garo and Jaintia people. The concentration of infrastructural projects like power supply and water supply in one district of Meghalaya escalates the regional imbalance in the state where towns of Garo Hills and Jaintia Hills are also in desperate need of power and water infrastructural projects,” the statement said
The NGO wants the chief minister to take the matter with the concerned authorities and redress the issue expeditiously.