SHILLONG, Jan 11: Against the backdrop of fresh allegations hinting at another scam in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has
pointed out that the mismanagement of the Tied Grant funds of the 15th Finance Commission by the Council will affect the release of funds in regard with the next instalment, for the other two Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) — KHADC and JHADC — as well.
Talking to reporters, the Chief Minister said that the Tied Grant funds were meant for different kind of sanitation and water supply work which the Council needs to take up, adding, “But the GHADC instead utilised the funds for payment of the salaries. The problem now is that it will affect the entire outflow of the second instalment for all the three ADCs because it is linked together. If we cannot submit the UCs (utilisation certificates) for one instalment then basically it will affect the release of other instalments,” he said.
Conrad further said that this kind of mismanagement will have a huge negative impact on the overall finances of the GHADC.
According to him, financial institutions including banks will hesitate to provide support and loans due to the poor financial management of the Council. “I am of the view that such things should have been avoided. But the ADCs have to manage their own finances and they know better. From the administration point of view, this is not the correct way to move forward. This is going to affect future flow of central funds and schemes,” Sangma added.
The Chief Minister further stated that the government has no say in this since it is an internal matter of the GHADC, which is an autonomous body. “Whether they use the funds to pay salaries or use the funds for developments, that is entirely their responsibility. We have no say in how they used the funds,” he observed.