Fund crunch hurdle for completion of schemes
SHILLONG: Like every year, the pending projects in several departments have become a regular feature in Meghalaya.
The projects spilling over to another year bring additional burden in terms of time overrun and cost escalation.
Sources said that in the context of worsening financial position, the pending projects will take many more years to complete.
A senior government official admitted that there should be a deadline to complete the pending projects.
The oldest pending project is the construction of a new Meghalaya Legislative Assembly building after the old Assembly was gutted by fire in 2001. Though the preliminary work has started, financial crunch will be a hurdle for the early completion of the state-funded project at the cost of Rs 127 crore.
On the health front, the construction of Shillong and Tura medical colleges, cancer wing of the Shillong Civil Hospital, diagnostic centre and appointment of sufficient staff in CHCs and PHCs are pending.
Health Minister AL Hek said he wanted to ensure that the construction of the Shillong medical college starts at the earliest.
He also said another priority is the diagnostic centre at Pasteur Institute.
As far as PHE is concerned, the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme- phase III is yet to the see the light of the day despite spending several crores of rupees.
PHE Minister Samlin Malngiang has said the department is finding out ways and means to complete the project.
He said the department will soon take up the task of laying of pipes as part of the project.
Though the bus terminus in Tura has been completed, the inter-state bus terminus at Mawiong is still pending due to various factors. Different deadlines were set by the government to complete the project but the work is yet to be completed.
The Shillong-Dawki four-lane road project supported by the Japanese funding agency has to go through various hurdles.
The deputy chief minister-in charge of PWD, Prestone Tynsong recently said that since the project involves the defence land, the intervention of defence ministry will be sought to provide land so that the project will be a reality.
On the power sector, there are over 15 power projects which are yet to be commissioned though works for some have already started several years ago. Ganol project in West Garo Hills is one of them.
The delay in addressing the entry and exit points besides the comprehensive mechanism to address the issue of influx is a major hurdle for the railway project in Ri Bhoi.