SHILLONG, March 12: The Opposition UDP on Tuesday flagged concern that areas falling under the urban local bodies will no longer be able to avail the funds recommended by the 15th Finance Commission.
Raising this issue during the ongoing Budget session of the KHADC on Tuesday, Leader of Opposition Titosstarwell Chyne asked if schemes submitted by localities falling under the municipal, urban, town committees and census towns can be uploaded in the e-Gram Swaraj portal.
“It will be a great injustice to the MDCs representing the urban constituencies if they can submit schemes under 15th Finance Commission,” Chyne said.
In his reply, Deputy CEM Pynshngain N Syiem said there are different channels for availing funds from the central ministries.
He recalled that the KHADC used to get funds from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, under Article 225.
With regard to the funds by the 15th Finance Commission routed through the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, he said they were not able to upload the schemes submitted by the urban local bodies since e-Gram Swaraj portal only accept proposals of the list of rural villages under the Community and Rural Development Block.
He also informed that after raising the matter with Deputy CEM in-charge of DCA department, Prestone Tynsong, a meeting was subsequently convened with different line departments, including Urban Affairs, to deliberate over the issue.
Syiem said that the Urban Affairs department officials had, during the meeting, revealed that the localities falling under the urban local bodies are getting funds from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
Syiem informed that it was decided during the meeting that the Urban Affairs department, from now onwards, will accordingly consult the MDCs representing the urban constituencies to submit proposals of schemes to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.