SHILLONG: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly has slammed Meghalaya Government over the slow implementation of Saubhagya Scheme, which was launched by the Government of India in 2017.
The Committee while raising concern over the failure of the Power Department to electrify each and every households under Saubhagya scheme within the initial deadline of March 31, 2019 added that the implementation of the scheme must be expedited.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, PAC member and Congress legislator, Zenith M Sangma informed that the State Government has requested Union Ministry of Power to extend the deadline to March 31, 2020.
Lamenting that the implementation of the scheme is very poor, he added that the Committee had asked Meghalaya Government to expedite the work by working in close coordination with the contractors
“justice should be done with all the consumers who are eligible to benefit from this scheme,” he said.
Another member of the PAC, Himalaya Shangpliang on the other hand informed that as per the mandated tender, a total number of 2211 villages in Khasi and Jaintia Hills have been identified to benefit from Saubhagya Scheme under package A but right now, work has been taken up only in 1546 villages out of which, 449 villages are in East Khasi Hills.
Shanpliang further informed that 2748 villages have been identified to benefit under package B in Garo Hills region whereas as of now, work has been taken up in 1923 villages.
During the meeting, the Power Department assured the PAC that the work of the remaining villages would be taken up in the coming months.
While the Centre had launched the scheme in 2017, the Power department in Meghalaya launched the scheme in April, 2018.
“After this, it took another nine months to prepare the DPR. It was only in December 31, 2018 that the final work order for implementation of the scheme was issued,” Shangpliang added.