Much has been said about the profligacy of the autonomous district councils (ADCs) which have, over the years failed to get their accounts duly audited. Normally all public funds have to be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) so that public institutions which use such funds are held accountable for every rupee spent. But such is not the case with the three ADCs of Meghalaya which have all been defaulters. They are also not held accountable for collecting funds from illegal check gates, markets and forests. It is appalling that action has not been taken against corrupt officials in the ADCs but instead they have been shown leniency. Is it because there is a nexus between these officials and the MDCs?
The State Government as the main financier of the ADCs and which should have played a regulatory role has always winked at these misdemeanours. The ADCs receive funds from the Finance Commission on the basis of the schemes they prepare. It is expected that all such funds are to be accounted for, else they are treated as largesse by the Members of the Autonomous Councils (MDCs). Often the funds meant for different schemes are diverted to payment of salaries. The 125th Constitutional Amendment passed in February 2019 seeks to increase the financial and executive powers of the 10 Autonomous Councils in the Sixth Schedule areas of the North Eastern region but with a rider that the ADCs will have to devolve power and funds to elected village municipal councils which would be empowered to prepare plans for economic development and social justice including those related to agriculture, land improvement, implementation of land reforms, minor irrigation, water management, animal husbandry, rural electrification, small scale industries and social forestry. The Finance Commission will be mandated to recommend devolution of financial resources to them.
In the case of Meghalaya where the State Government comprises a tribal majority and where the above-mentioned subjects are already being administered by the State Government, there is a possibility of overlap of jurisdiction. In fact, the role of the District Councils as per the Sixth Schedule was primarily to conserve the tribal customary practices and tradition since the Khasi & Jaintia and Garo Hills were then part of the Assam Government. Needless to say, upon Meghalaya becoming a full-fledged state the role of the autonomous councils has become infructuous as the District Council Affairs Department of the State Government was well able to take care of tribal affairs. But that did not happen for political reasons. The 125th Amendment seeks to empower and fund elected grassroots institutions for rapid economic development. This has not yet happened in Meghalaya. Why? Without that clause being fulfilled the ADCs would not be able to avail direct funding from the Finance Commission. That’s a double whammy!
