KHADC may pitch for central funds for urban local bodies

SHILLONG, April 30: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) may approach the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) to seek financial assistance for areas which can avail grants applicable to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
Talking to reporters, KHADC Deputy Chief Executive Member (CEM), Pynshngain N Syiem, said that the areas falling under the urban constituencies like Pynthorumkhrah, Mawkhar, Laban and Laitumkhrah are no longer eligible to avail funds from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj or Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Informing that they are unable to upload proposals from the ULBs in the e-gram swaraj portal, the CEM said that the portal only accepts proposals from areas falling under the jurisdiction of the Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) or Community and Rural Development Block.
According to Syiem, there is no specific ministry for the Autonomous District Councils since they fall under the purview of Ministry of Home Affairs.
“We will have to approach MoHUA to be able to upload the scheme of the ULBs. It does not mean that we will not be able to avail funds. But it has to be routed through the different ministries,” the KHADC Deputy CEM said.