SHILLONG: Four MDCs of Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) have written to the vice-chairman of NITI Aayog, New Delhi, the chief secretary of Meghalaya and the secretary, JHADC requesting for a CBI probe alleging misutilisation of Special Assistance Grant (SAG) sanctioned by the Centre.
The four MDCs — Lakhon Biam, Krison Langstang, J. Treilang Suchiang and Dawan Lyngdoh — alleged irregular and illegal utilisation of the funds arising out of the SAG by the Executive Committee headed by NPP MDC Thombor Shiwat.
The four MDCs claimed that the EC of the JHADC has totally violated the guidelines for the implementation of the SAG and pointed out that the money available under the SAG has been diverted to pay salaries of JHADC staff.
A cash book statement of the Council showing diversion of the SAG funds by way of loan on March 20, 2019 for Rs 6,50,00,000 under the Particulars: “Paid to Secretary, Executive Committee, JHADC, being temporary loan for payment of salary of officers and staff, JHADC for January 2019 vide E.C. decision No 1 dated – 19-03-2019” and Rs 10 crore under the Particulars: “Paid to Secretary, Executive Committee, JHADC, being temporary loan for payment of salary of all the members, Council employees, pension and family pension for April and May 2019 vide letter No JHADC/FIN/ACCT-1/2009-10/35 dated 24-09-2019”.
“The total amount diverted is Rs 16,50,00,000. This constitutes serious violation of the guidelines.The illegal actions also delay the SAG schemes which are time bound. There will be a long term effect from this which will also negatively impact new sanctions under future Special Assistance Grant from the Government of India”, the letter stated.
The MDCs also alleged that the EC headed by Shiwat is partial towards MDCs and accused him of playing partisan politics having left the four MDCs in the dark about the implementation and monitoring of the schemes asserting that the status of the SAG schemes is unknown.
“Since the four undersigned MDCs are in the opposition in the JHADC, the Executive Committee has not deemed it necessary to consult or involve us in the implementation of these schemes. We will not be able to verify whether the SAG schemes are being properly implemented to reach the target groups in our constituencies”, the MDCs stated.
Further, the MDCs pointed out that the guidelines for implementation of the SAG schemes provide for approval of the schemes by competent authority.
They pointed out that during the financial year 2015-16, the departments of PWD/ PHE and others were the competent approving authorities, however, the replies at the session of the JHADC provided by the EC show that for the financial years 2017-18 and 2018-19, this was discontinued and approval was done by the Chief Engineer, Additional Chief Engineer, Executive Engineer of the JHADC which violates the guidelines.
“It is also shown that the estimates for the SAG schemes are approved by the Executive Engineer JHADC and only countersigned by the Chief Engineer JHADC”, the four MDCs mentioned.
The SAG has been provided by the Union government as part of the special recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission for Excluded Areas to help bring accelerated development to the tribal areas under the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India.
The four MDCs stated that the autonomous district councils are not directly included in the terms of reference of the Finance Commission but consideration has been made due to the economic backwardness of these areas.
“Under these considerations, the SAG has been made on a population-wise disbursement to beneficiaries. This means that special conditions are tied to these funds. One of the most important conditions is that the SAG funds should not be diverted or utilised for any other purpose”, they stated.
