SHILLONG: Community and Rural Development Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar informed the House on Monday that the total number of village employment councils (VECs) in Selsella block in 2017 was 354 and there are no VECs in Demdema Block.
Replying to a query from Congress MLA Azad Zaman, Dhar informed that the total number of villages under Selsella and Demdema in 2017 were 352 and 145, respectively.
He also said that the government had previously issued instructions to the DC and the district programme coordinator, West Garo Hills, in respect of Haripur I and Haripur II villages and 40 other VECs of Selsella Block taking into account the large number of registered households and the problems which transpired in the formation of VEC leading to the filing of writ petitions in the High Court.
Congress legislator Zenith Sangma pointed out that frequent change in VECs indicates corruption in the system.