SHILLONG, Dec 13: As Meghalaya Government’s flagship programme FOCUS continues to be in focus of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), an ally in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has given the lie to the allegations, asserting that the funds for the programme are not loan but grant-in-aid.
It is pertinent to note that the BJP has been accusing the state government of cashing in on the FOCUS programme to further its electoral agenda and has been claiming that the funds under the scheme are loans taken from the Centre.
Breaking his silence, the chief minister, while addressing media persons here on Tuesday, maintained that the financial assistance provided to the farmers under the FOCUS and FOCUS+ programmes are not loan but grant-in-aid aimed towards the welfare of the poorest section of the society.
Expressing grief over the labelling of the government’s efforts as electoral agenda, Conrad said, “Whoever has made this comment has not understood that these are farmers and people who need to be helped. We are doing what should have been done a long time back.”
Maintaining that the accuser has failed to comprehend the sentiments of the poor, particularly the farmers, Conrad said, “This programme is making a huge impact at the grassroots level. Speak to the farmers and hear their testimonies how this money is benefitting them to be able to raise their livelihood and take up small businesses.”
He also reminded that the FOCUS programme was initiated back in 2021.
“Therefore, it is completely wrong for anybody to say it is an election agenda. If it was an election agenda then we would have been starting the distribution now. I had launched this programme about a year and half back when I was in Tura. The process started a long time back. So, connecting it to elections is completely wrong and it is also insensitive to the needs of the farmers,” he said.
Meanwhile, Conrad also argued that it is wrong to say that the government has allocated Rs 1,500 crore to the FOCUS and FOCUS+ programmes. “Whoever has made this comment has not understood how the finances are managed. The entire funds allocated for the FOCUS and FOCUS+ schemes have come to about Rs 450-plus crore,” Sangma said, adding that the same will be utilised only when they manage to reach a maximum of 4.5 lakh families.
The chief minister said that the state government intends to implement the FOCUS programme annually. “We intend to allocate Rs 450 crore on an annual basis and it will have an impact on 4.5 lakh families,” Conrad said.
It may be mentioned that state BJP president Ernest Mawrie had accused the MDA of cashing in on the FOCUS scheme to further its political interest.
“I will request the people not to fall prey to such a programme. The money which they are receiving is only the loan which the government has taken from the central agencies,” Mawrie had said.
