SHILLONG: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has levelled allegations of misappropriation of rural jobs scheme fund against two village employment councils in Ri Bhoi.
The HYC Raid Nongtung circle, Umsaw Mawlasnai unit and Mawlasnai Unit told reporters on Monday that according to the reply to an RTI application filed by the group, there were loopholes in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) since October 2016. The RTI was filed at the Block Development Office, Umsning.
“Development in the village has taken a backseat even after huge amount of fund was released by the BDO’s office to the village employment councils (VECs) as some schemes were not implemented while some remained incomplete,” the council members said.
Shemphang Masharing, general secretary of HYC Umsaw-Mawlasnai unit, said the respective VECs did not respond to three letters sent by the group over two and a half years.
As per the RTI, the VEC of Umsaw Mawlasnai did not implement most of the schemes and some were incomplete despite having received a total amount of Rs 60 lakh from 2010-2016.
The foremost scheme is the construction of land development, including protection wall (2016-17), which was sanctioned at an amount of Rs 8.45 lakh. Only one-third of the total work was completed.
Masharing complained that another project to make a football ground was also not complete. “The BDO has to direct the VEC of Umsaw Mawlasnai to complete the works meant under the scheme and to erect a signboard furnishing information about the scheme,” he added.
Pynshailang Rymbai, president of HYC Mawlasnai unit, had similar complaints. He said “not less than Rs 1 crore” was sanctioned under MGNREGS for the VEC in his area between 2010 and 2016.
“Work for levelling of playground with a sanctioned amount of Rs 9.5 lakh has not been implemented so far, the footpath to Catholic graveyard was also constructed shoddily as within one year of its construction it is wearing away,” said Rymbai.
The president of HYC Raid Nongtung, Hercules Suting, condemned the action of the two VECs and said, “We will give one month’s time to the VECs to complete the works or we will lodge an FIR.”
