SHILLONG, Nov 8: KHADC CEM, Titosstarwell Chyne said the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Village and Town Development Council Bill, 2021, has been introduced for paving way for the Dorbar Shnong to avail direct funding for developmental projects.
“We are aware that the Centre has come up with various notifications on the need to have a Village Development Council (VDC) to be able to avail developmental funds from the different ministries. I feel that if we continue to delay, then the villages will miss this opportunity,” Chyne said while tabling the bill on Monday.
Stating that the VDC will be constituted in the villages, he said the bill will also pave the way for the constitution of the Town Development Council (TDC) that will be responsible for overseeing the development works in the urban localities.
“Both the VDC and TDC can also get direct funding from the 15th Finance Commission,” Chyne said.
He clarified that the VDC and TDC will come under the Dorbar Shnong and will not be parallel bodies interfering in the local affairs.
The KHADC chief said the members of the VDC and TDC will be elected with the Rangbah Shnong as the chairman and some seats in these councils will be reserved for women. “The strength of this development council shall not be less than 10 and not more than 15,” he said.
According to him, the projects sanctioned through the MDC scheme will also be implemented by the VDC and TDC.
Labour Clearance Certificate
Chyne said the House brought an amendment to the Trading by Non-Tribal Regulation Act, 1952, by incorporating a clause that migrant workers will need to obtain a Labour Clearance Certificate from the council.
“The proposed amendment was approved by the House. We are waiting for the assent from the Governor,” Chyne said while replying to a supplementary question raised by Mawhati MDC, Charles Marngar.
He further said they had to bring this amendment after the Meghalaya Identification, Registration (Safety & Security) of Migrant Workers Act, 2020, was passed last year to give the state government the authority to issue the labour license.
“With the incorporation of this clause in the Act, it is mandatory for the migrant workers to get the LCC from the council,” KHADC CEM said.
Chyne clarified that the issuance of the LCC by the council is not mandated by the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution or in the laws of the council.
“We had issued the labour license on the basis of the Trading by Non-Tribals Regulation Act, 1957. There is a word in the Act which refers to the services provided by the people from outside. It was on this ground we had issued the labour license in the past,” he said.
Earlier, Executive Member in charge of Labour department, Victor Rani while replying to a question raised by Nongstoin MDC Gabriel Wahlang, said the council is no longer authorised to issue the labour license.
He, however, said he does have the information on the revenue the council lost in view of the government’s decision to issue the labour license.