SHILLONG: State BJP President Ernest Mawrie has justified the demand for holding a CBI probe into gross misuse of central funds at the District Councils in Tura and Jowai since the actions were violative of the terms laid down by NITI Aayog (erstwhile Planning Commission).
Confirming that the party had sent a letter to the Finance Ministry pointing towards misappropriation of funds in the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) and Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), he said, “It is unfortunate that the guidelines of NITI Aayog were not followed. That is why we stick to the CBI inquiry”.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Mawrie on Thursday said the party letter to the Finance Ministry was marked confidential and therefore did not disclose details.
The allegation of misappropriation of funds in the GHADC has already come under the scanner of NITI Aayog and an official of NITI Aayog has already referred it to the Ministry of DoNER seeking an impartial inquiry.
The office memorandum from NITI Aayog of September 9, pointed to the grievance regarding request not to sanction financial assistance to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), Tura for implementation of various projects in the area covered under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and to conduct an enquiry with regard to the non-implementation and irregularities in implementation of scheme sanctioned by Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
Lanong supports probe
In a parallel development, UDP Chief Advisor, Bindo M Lanong has lent his voice to the demand of the State BJP unit and the former chief minister, Mukul Sangma for a probe into the alleged corruption in JHADC and GHADC, with the rider that the inquiry should be extended to the two previous terms of the councils as well.
While requesting the Governor to order an inquiry into the scam, Lanong said, “I request the Governor to hold such inquiry, either under paragraph 14 of the Sixth Schedule or under any other administrative practice, but it should cover at least the two previous terms, when the Congress was in power in both the councils and scores of Congress workers were appointed in the GHADC and several crores of rupees of central fund was reportedly released for GHADC in 2017.”
He added that the ruling executive committees in the Councils, which have not even completed five years in office, were suffering due to the legacy of corruption and the clampdown on mining in the state affecting their source of revenue.
