Five years of ANVC-ANVC-B disbandment
SHILLONG: Five years after disbanding the ANVC and ANVC-B groups, the agreed text of settlement signed by both the state and the Centre with them, is yet to be fulfilled.
While the agreed text of settlement with ANVC and ANVC-B was signed on September 24, 2014, the disbanding ceremony was held on December 15, the same year.
Some of the features of the agreed text of settlement are the need to transfer as many as 13 subjects including minor works of Agriculture, Sericulture and Weaving, Animal Husbandry, Fishers and minor irrigation, among others to the GHADC.
The peace text also highlights strengthening of existing health, road and communication infrastructures to uplift the Garo Hills region. Other areas are setting up of horticulture college, ICAR’s research unit, general nursing and midwifery school, para-medical institute and women and children hospital in Tura, upgradation of district hospitals and construction of highway connecting Dhubri, Garo Hills and Khasi Hills as approved by the Centre.
According to the agreement, the state government will extend one time funding support to be spread over a period of five years to strengthen the local/traditional institutions at the grass root level.
The text of settlement also mentions about the increase of seats to 40 in GHADC which is part of the Sixth Schedule amendment.
Former ANVC-B chairman Bernard Marak said besides the non-implementation of agreed text of settlement, more than 100 cadres of ANVC-B are yet to get the rehabilitation package.
“We have been cheated right from the time we signed the peace pact till today. More than 100 cadres are yet to get the rehabilitation package. We were never called for a meeting to review the implementation of the agreement and cases against cadres are not withdrawn.
The government has also kept us away from the joint meeting to discuss amendment to the Sixth Schedule. We are very disappointed”, Marak said.
To a question, Marak said since the parent group ANVC got the package, it is not bothered about the implementation of the pact.
Marak said though the pending issues related to the pact were taken up with the Centre, state was blamed by the union home ministry for not pursuing the matter.
“We will have to move the Centre again and if nothing happens, we will have to file a case in the court”, he said. According to Marak, the previous Congress-led government and the present NPP-led government are the same as far as the delay in implementing the package is concerned.
“At the state level, not a single meeting was called to discuss the issues and we find that the agreement was diverted as nothing much happened”, Marak said. Only last year, a meeting was called by the Centre related to the matter and the state does not appear to be serious, he added.
When contacted, an official with the political department said that the state government was committed to implement the agreement.
“The government has already taken up several development initiatives and some are in the pipeline, the official added.
The general nursing institute is coming up in Baghmara, the official said.
To a question, the official added that a committee has already been set up to deal with the transfer of minor subjects from the state government to the district councils.
However, Marak said the committee has not met regularly to speed up the matter.
Features of agreed text
Transfer of 13 subjects including minor works of Agriculture, Sericulture and Weaving, Animal Husbandry, Fishers and minor irrigation, among others to the GHADC.
Strengthening of existing health, road and communication infrastructures to improve Garo Hills region.
Horticulture college, ICAR’s research unit, general nursing and midwifery school, para-medical institute and women and children hospital in Tura, upgradation of district hospitals and construction of highway