SHILLONG, Nov 14: Several Dorbar Shnong have welcomed the KHADC’s Village and Town Development Council Bill, 2021, which aims to allow the villages and towns within the jurisdiction of the Council to prepare the planning and implementation of developmental activities on its own.
The Bill said there will be a Village Development Council (VDC) in each and every village and a Town Development Council (TDC) in each and every town constituted by the dorbar shnongs and duly approved by the chief and executive committee of the district council.
As per the bill, the VDC and TDC shall have the power and shall be responsible in matters such as participatory developmental planning and implementation, collection of data and preparation of reports on the village or town and shall prepare resource map of the village and town.
The bill states that they shall formulate village and town annual plans, perspective plans and strategy for implementation and they will also be responsible for implementation of the developmental programmes and schemes within the village.
According to the bill, all funds, grants and other forms of monetary or financial assistance received from any source for the purpose of achieving the objects of this Act shall be treated part of the District Fund and shall be subjected to audit as per provisions of paragraph 7 of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Talking to The Shillong Times, Nongmensong Rangbah Shnong, B Khonglah said that this legislation which was passed by the KHADC to empower the villages and towns to take up the developmental activities on its own was due for a long time.
“I personally feel that this will further strengthen the role of dorbar shnong in development process for the locality,” Khonglah said.
He however said that a little hitch in the election process of memebers for VDC and TDC as the process is conducted by district council which has a political platform.
“I wish that polical connections are not applied,” Nongmensong Rangbah Shnong said.
Nongrim Hills Rangbah Shnong, Bantylli L Narry said that this is a welcome step taken by the KHADC to empower the villages and localities to implement the developmental activities on their own.
According to him, the KHADC CEM, Titosstarwell Chyne had already clarified that the VDC and TDC will be not be a parrallel body and it will be under Dorbar Shnongs.
“This is very important to prevent any kind of conflict. The other part of the bill is that the Rangbah Shnong will be the ex-officio chairman of the VDC and TDC. I remember in the Village Administration Bill or VAB that the chairman to such body will be elected by way an election,” Narry said.
He said that the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong Nongthymmai Pyllun (SKRSNP) will be soon be meeting to discuss on this bill passed by the KHADC.
“I am of the view that the KHADC should invite the Rangbah Shnongs and Sordars of the various villages and localities to explain on the various provisions which are incoporated in this bill. What little information which we know about the bill is only through the media reports,” Narry who is also the president of the SKRSNP said.
Meanwhile, Assistant Rangbah Shnong of Mawkhar, Ransom Sutnga said that the constitution of the VDC and TDC will help the localities and villages to proposed projects and schemes as per their needs and requirements. “We can prepare the proposals on our own and decide on projects which are going to be need based,” Sutnga said.
He however said that the only problem is the financial management part to deal with funds to be allcocated to the villages and localties in the urban areas.
“We are aware that we do not have experts who will have handle and management the accounts of the funds for the various developmental projects to be implemented. It could also pave way to financial misappropriation. I hope that this bill has been able to address this issue,” Assistant Rangbah Shnong of Mawkhar.
Sutnga however lauded the council for taking the initiative for coming up with such legislation.
As per the bill, the headman will be the ex-officio chairman of the VDC or TDC while the office bearers including vice-chairman, secretary, joint secretary, treasurer will be elected by way of secret ballot voting and simple majority. The term of office will be for five years.
It further added that in the area where there is no traditional dorbar shnong, the executive committee after consultation with the chief and his dorbar will constitute the VDC in the village or TDC in the town.
Political parties are barred from participating in the election. According to the bill, the election shall be done through a secret ballot and based on simple majority.
“The headman (Rangbah Shnong) shall be ex-officio chairman, hence no election shall be held for the post of chairman. In any area where there is no Dorbar Shnong, election of the chairman will be conducted,” states the bill.