From Our Correspondent
TURA, March 17: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the state government of trying to lure Nokmas with plum posts in state-run village employment councils (VECs) in a blatant violation of a tripartite agreement signed in 2014.
“State dishonors the Agreement and is trying to contradict the traditional heads by involving them unlawfully in the VECs and demanding the Centre to recognize VECs as the Rural Local Bodies. This is very wrong on the side of the state government which was very much a part of the Agreement to mislead the Nokmas. Hundreds of Nokmas were called free of cost and with pocket expenses of Rs 2,000 by the state government to lure them to accept the state’s proposal, which will only benefit the state while the Nokmas get mere remuneration,” Tura BJP MDC Bernard N Marak said in a statement.
He maintained that such an act by the government cannot be allowed as it dilutes the unique role of Nokmas as traditional heads.
Arguing that VECs are not traditional institutions, Bernard said that inclusion of Nokmas as Chairman in VECs will contradict the Agreement and traditional set-ups.
Bernard also asked the government to take note of a notification, which had said that the DRDA would stop functioning come April 1, instead of trying to make the Nokmas chairman/ex-officio members in VECs.
“VECs are not local bodies but they are temporary arrangements to utilize the MGNREGA in Meghalaya. VECs failed recognition for various reasons so the funds allotted to the Rural Local Bodies under Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) should not be disturbed. State, in order to divert the funds meant for Rural Local Bodies under ADCs, is trying to involve the Nokmas who are unaware of the actual conspiracy which will actually dilute and contradict the tribal institutions,” the BJP leader maintained.