By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 10: Mawlai MLA Brightstarwell Marbaniang on Tuesday affirmed the stance of the Voice of the People Party against corruption as he released various work orders, amounting to Rs 2.58 crore to 867 beneficiaries sanctioned from Special Rural Works Program (SRWP), and other schemes for the year 2023-2024 in his constituency.
Addressing a gathering, the VPP MLA recalled making promises to the electorates of Mawlai of implementing various MLA schemes in a transparent manner, without misappropriating a single paisa.
Maintaining that the people of his constituency are free to question if they find any irregularity in the implementation of the schemes, Marbaniang said that there is a misunderstanding among the people that they can get everything from the MLA.
The Mawlai MLA then went on to inform the gathering about certain guidelines laid down by the government on how to implement the SRWP.
According to him, an MLA can neither allocate funds for hosting sports and cultural events, not can he or she make donations to churches.
Marbaniang then informed the gathering about other schemes under which an MLA can provide financial assistance for holding sports or any cultural event.
Informing that the beneficiaries, who are in need of help to avail the benefits of the SRWP scheme, have been identified, the MLA said they will be provided assistance this year.
“I want to assure that I will try to accommodate all who are in need of financial assistance in the next four years,” he added.
It may be mentioned that the worker orders, which were released by the MLA, include Rs 2.50 crore from SRWP, Rs 3 lakh from Intensive Sports and Youth Development Programme (ISYDP), Rs 2.5 lakh from Development of Traditional Folk Music (DTFM) and Rs 2.5 lakh from Intensive Arts and Culture Development Programme (IACDP).
Out of the 867 beneficiaries, 837 beneficiaries are from SRWP, 23 beneficiaries from ISYDP, five from DTFM and two from IACDP.
Under the SRWP scheme 2023-2024, the Mawlai VPP has allocated Rs 37.50 lakh for construction of low-cost housing units for 50 beneficiaries at an estimate of Rs 75,000 per housing unit, Rs 37.50 lakh for renovation and upgradation of 150 houses at an estimate of Rs 25,000 per unit for each house, and Rs 50 lakh for financial assistance of Rs 10,000 each to 500 beneficiaries including farmers, labourer and small-scale traders.
The Mawlai MLA has also allocated Rs 8 lakh for providing CGI sheets to 100 beneficiaries and Rs 7 lakh for the ambulance donated to the Mawlai Association for Welfare Livelihood Accessibility and Inclusiveness, which will cater to the people of the constituency from the SRWP scheme.
Under the MLA scheme, Marbaniang has allocated funds for the various localities and villages under the constituency as per the proposal they had submitted which includes Rs 2.50 lakh for Mawiong Rim, Rs 4.50 lakh for Mawiong Umjapung, Rs 4.50 lakh for Mawlai Nongkwar, Rs 2.50 lakh for Mawlai Iewrynghep, Rs 4 lakh for Mawlai Nonglum, Rs 2.50 lakh for Mawlai Syllaikriah, Rs 2.50 lakh for Mawlai Nongpdeng, Rs 4 lakh for Mawlai Mawdatbaki, Rs 3.50 lakh for Mawlai Phudmuri and Rs 3 lakh each for Mawlai Kynton Massar and Mawlai Mawroh, among others.
The Mawlai MLA has also allocated funds to musical groups, sports clubs and Seng Samla of the various localities under the ISYDP, DTFM and IACDP.
Others who were part of the programme include VPP chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, Shillong VPP MP Ricky AJ Syngkon, VPP North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum, VPP vice president Kara Chen, among others.