SHILLONG, Dec 13: Meghalaya Government has not cleared the funds for material components to all the blocks of the state for the financial year 2019-20 despite Centre releasing Rs 100 crore, with a backlog of Rs 3.5 crore in Mawryngkneng Block alone.
Revealing this, Congress MLA from Mawryngkneng Constituency, David Nongrum, said, “The money has not been released to all the blocks in the state. In my block, we have three constituencies. You have blocks with five constituencies and you have blocks with two constituencies, it is not affecting only my block but all the blocks in Meghalaya,” he added.
Asserting that he knows for a fact that the Government of India has released more than Rs 100 crore, the MLA questioned as to why the funds have not been released to all the blocks while calling the situation surprising. “This is the dry season, where they can make footpaths, motorable roads, water sheds, water tanks etc. Now, if they are not paid for material components, how will they continue with their work? How will development come?” he questioned.
He stated that it being Central funds, the state government should have nothing to do with it but only release it to the respective blocks.
“This will hamper the developmental works in all the villages. As it is, they are claiming that they don’t have money now due to COVID-19 and that they had to divert funds. They also claim that the Centre is not releasing funds on time,” he said.
