TURA, Aug 10: Former leaders of the Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC) and the ANVC-B have decided to write to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to address the long-pending and unfulfilled provisions of the Agreed Text for Settlement (ATS) signed between the two outfits, and the central and state governments on September 24, 2014.
The decision was taken during a joint meeting of the former leaders held in Tura on Sunday.
Those meeting was attended by former ANVC-B chairman Bernard N Marak and the then publicity secretary of the ANVC, Vicky Rose N Sangma.
During the meeting, extensive discussions focused on Para 12.1 of the ATS, which mandates that the Centre Level Monitoring Committee convene every six months to review progress. However, according to the former leaders, no such meeting has been held since 2020 in violation of the spirit of the accord.
In their letter to the Union Home Minister, they plan to raise the urgent need for convening the monitoring committee, taking concrete measures for the preservation of cultural identity and grassroots empowerment, setting up effective fund release mechanisms and village-level institutions, recommending higher fund allocation for the GHADC, forming an independent finance body, making constitutional amendments and providing one-time financial support for traditional institutions—a promise they say remains unfulfilled.
The letter will also seek the early release of funds to the GHADC as per relevant ATS provisions, including a one-time bailout grant of Rs 252.01 crore, forest-related development projects worth Rs 308.14 crore, and rural infrastructure and agriculture promotion amounting to Rs 104.34 crore, totalling ₹664.49 crore.
“If the Central Government expedites the release of this sanctioned amount, GHADC employees will receive all pending salaries, and essential development projects will progress without delay. We therefore earnestly appeal for your intervention to ensure that the commitments made in the Agreed Text for Settlement are honoured both in letter and spirit,” the letter stated.