SHILLONG, Feb 22: Congress MLA from Mawsynram, HM Shangpliang, has expressed concern over the delay in the approval of projects under the border area development programme while asking the state government to take up the matter with the Union government.
Mawsynram shares large areas of the international border with Bangladesh. The constituency normally receives Rs 1.5 crore every year under the border area development programme.
Speaking to mediapersons on Monday, Shangpliang said the state government had during 2020-21, sent the proposals to the Union government after due diligence by the district-level committee.
“The proposals were accordingly approved by the state-level committee and sent to the Union government last year. I had raised the matter in the Assembly and I was assured that the government would get the funds released. But till now, these funds have not come and nobody knows the reason for the delay,” he said.
It may be mentioned that several infrastructure-related projects such as construction of roads, bridges, hospitals and schools are taken up for the constituencies situated along the international border.
“We are now approaching the end of the financial year, but I have not received any communication from anybody,” the Congress MLA rued, while asking the government to come clear on the status of the projects.
Urging the Meghalaya government to immediately take up the matter with the Union government, he said several projects were proposed for Mawsynram constituency but were awaiting necessary approvals.
“I feel that the state government should have followed up the matter with the Centre as we don’t know whether funds have been released or not. The projects should not be held up at any cost,” he said.