By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 10: Leader of Opposition, Mukul Sangma has criticised the state government’s budget layout and its commitment to effective governance.
He was vocal against the government for financial mismanagement, lack of transparency, and disregard for fiscal discipline.
Sangma highlighted the systematic failure in ensuring transparency, which he believes is directly hampering developmental efforts. He argued that if a ruling party member was unaware of key projects, it spoke volumes about the chaotic state of governance.
Sangma reminded the House of the importance of social auditing, as mandated by an Act passed by the Assembly, stressing that every fund from the public exchequer must be spent for public welfare by involving all sections of society.
“If beneficiaries are deprived of transparency, how can we expect effective implementation of programmes at the grassroots level?” he questioned.
Sangma revealed that his visits to various districts exposed a disconnect between the schemes’ implementation and the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), compromising the quality of work and resulting in the draining of the state’s exchequer.
“Lack of transparency breeds suspicion. We must foster a participatory approach, ensuring elected representatives are fully involved,” he stressed.
Sangma scrutinized the government’s projections, stating that while they appeared “fine on paper”, the real test is whether the budget would translate into tangible benefits for the people. He accused the government of being followers rather than leaders and called for greater scrutiny of every expenditure.
Sangma pointed out that the total proposed expenditure stood at Rs 30,003 crore, comprising Rs 20,556 crore in revenue expenditure and Rs 9,447 crore in capital expenditure.
He questioned the share of the State sector, State plan, and Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) within the capital expenditure. He accused the government of breaching financial discipline and warned that unchecked financial practices could become the norm.
“There is a limit on how much of the total project funds can be spent on consultants. This government seems to have forgotten those limits,” he stated.
On debt management, Sangma pointed out that the fiscal deficit appeared to be under the permissible 3.5% limit this year but urged a deeper look at the state’s debt structure. Citing the example of Vijay Mallya, he warned that even big corporate houses fall into financial distress leading to closures.
Sangma called for greater scrutiny of every expenditure and urged members to flag areas of concern. He highlighted poor scheme implementation, such as the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Garo Hills, where water pipes were left above ground, violating DPR specifications. He also criticized the government for its lack of convergence between departments and raised concerns about unutilized central funds.
Turning to the power sector, Sangma expressed shock that the Meghalaya Power Transmission Corporation Limited (MePTCL), which earns revenue from transmission charges, was operating at a loss. He pressed for a thorough review of the power sector, revealing that the interest burden alone had more than doubled — from Rs 150 crore in 2017-18 to over Rs 300 crore now — excluding principal repayments.
Sangma also emphasized the urgent need for a new approach to boost Meghalaya’s agriculture and horticulture sectors.