Shillong, June 26: The Opposition in the KHADC have expressed concern over the failure of the state government to provide the actual calculation of shares from royalty from minor minerals, major minerals and motor vehicle taxes which are released to the council.
While moving a motion on the position of royalty on mineral and taxes on vehicles duly collected by the state government on share basis during the ongoing council summer session, HSPDP MDC, Martle N. Mukhim said that the state government has not bothered to share the details on the revenue which is due to the council.
“In the year 2020-2021, the council did not receive its share from royalties from minor and major minerals. The state government however did not specify that the fund which was released to the council for the year 2021-2022 was the dues for which fiscal year. The same goes for 2022-2023,” Mukhim said.
Informing that the fund which was received in 2021-2022 was Rs 21 crore, Mukhim however said that the fund received in 2022-2023 was only Rs 13 crore.
“What I felt that the collection of royalties from major and minor minerals should be lesser in 2021-2022 if we take into account the situation. But surprisingly the fund release to the council was higher in 2021-2022 as compared to 2022-2023,” the HSPDP MDC said.
He observed that what is sad is that not only the Executive but the whole member of this august house remain in the dark as to why the collection was lesser in 2022-2023.
“We are just happy to accept the funds without bothering to seek clarification from the government on the details about the share of the council. I am not blaming the present EC. But this has been continuing from one EC to another,” the HSPDP MDC said.
Meanwhile, the veteran MDC observed that it looks like the top bureaucrats whether it is the IAS or finance officer are illiterate since they are not able to maintain a proper account as to share of council from royalty on major and minor minerals on every financial year.
“If the officers are so efficient then this kind of thing should not have happened. In my 24 years as a member of the KHADC I am always hearing about the problem of financial crisis in the council,” the HSPDP MDC added.
Echoing similar concern, Leader of Opposition, Titosstarwell Chyne said that they have heard about the leakage of revenue of the council from different sources.
According to him, the council is also losing its revenue if the transportation of the mineral resources takes place without a proper challan.
“We are losing due to the illegal transportation whether it is coal or limestone,” the Leader of Opposition said.
He further said that he totally agree that the backbone of the financial position of the council is through the share from royalties of major and minor minerals and also from taxation of vehicles
“What is sad is that sometimes we are treated like beggars since the government does not provide the actual calculation to the council. The state government has released lump sum amounts,” Chyne added.
In his reply, Executive Member (EM) in-charge Mines and Minerals, Fantin Lakadong admitted that the council depends on the share from royalties on major and minor minerals and from taxes on vehicles to run its administration.
“We have always witnessed that the expenditure is always higher as compared to the revenue generated by the council. We will try our best to improve the financial position of the council,” Lakadong said.
He also admitted that the failure of the government to provide the actual calculation on the dues which the council is supposed to receive is perennial.
EM in-charge Mines and Minerals however assured that the new Executive Committee will try to follow up with the state government on this matter.
“We are also concerned over leakage of revenue of the council. We will try to find out ways to move about to resolve this problem,” Lakadong added.