By Our Reporter
Shillong, Sep 11: Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma on Thursday suggested in the Assembly that the state government should “weaponise” by releasing advance funds to help the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) pay the salaries of its staff, thereby putting pressure on the Government of India to expedite the passage of the long-pending Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill, 2019 which seeks to amend the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Moving a resolution to urge the Centre to amend Article 280 of the Constitution for financial support to district councils, Sangma said the release of advance funds could be weaponised by the state government to create a sense of urgency.
“We can send a message to the Government of India that we have been compelled by the situation which the ADCs are facing. The state government cannot remain a silent spectator even though the whole burden of responsibility was vested upon the Government of India,” Sangma stated.
He said that due to the delay, the state government has no other choice but to provide some advance amount which should be reimbursed by the Centre. The leader of Opposition mentioned that the Parliamentary Standing Committee took two years to hold consultations with the states having the ADCs on the proposed amendment and submitted its report in 2021.
“That’s the reason why we must be able to press upon the Government of India to create that sense of urgency, keeping in mind the situation which we are confronted with in the GHADC where the staff have not got their salaries for 43 months,” he said.
Sangma added that it was painful to see villagers meeting the agitating employees of GHADC, some of them even crying. He said the state government will need to weaponise the available commitments of the Government of India to ensure the passing of the amendment bill at the earliest.
He further recalled that the proposed amendment of the Constitution in respect to the Sixth Schedule was meant to give effect to the objectives of the Text Settlement Agreement signed on September 24, 2014, in New Delhi, among the Centre, the state government and the three disbanded groups of the ANVC.
Asserting that one cannot take Parliament for granted, he noted that the proposed amendment also covers other ADCs. “Therefore, the scope of debate and discussion has become too big, and hence, the delay. That is what I presume,” Sangma said.
He maintained that it was appropriate for the state to pursue the matter separately with the Centre to segregate the Meghalaya-specific aspects of the proposed amendment. “Because six years is too long a time,” he said.
The leader of Opposition further urged the government to give a categorical assurance to take up the issue with utmost seriousness, reflecting the crisis being faced by the ADCs in the absence of the amendment.
He suggested that the government could provide advances to enable ADCs to pay salaries, as was done earlier even for retired MDCs.
Sangma also cited that the Centre had earlier increased the state’s share of taxes from 32% to 42% following Finance Commission recommendations, thereby leaving the state “flushed with money.”
“So, a certain amount of money, I don’t think it’s a big amount; at least some relief can be done by way of advance, both for GHADC and JHADC,” he added.
In his reply, Deputy Chief Minister in-charge of District Council Affairs (DCA) Prestone Tynsong said the 125th Amendment Bill, 2019, aimed to augment the consolidated fund of the state and supplement the resources of the district councils.
He said the word “district council” has been clearly included, alongside municipal and village councils in tribal areas within the states referred to in clause two of Article 244, based on Finance Commission recommendations.
Tynsong added that the state government has been consistently following up with the Centre on the Bill, with Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma having met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on several occasions to push for its passage.
He noted that the Parliamentary Standing Committee has already visited the states and submitted its report, and the Ministry of Home Affairs is currently examining it.
He assured that the state government will continue to push for the Bill’s passage, adding that once passed, the challenges faced by the councils would be resolved.
Meanwhile, he stated that the GHADC and the JHADC were facing salary crises and assured that the government has no political agenda to step in to bail them out.
He said a committee has been already constituted at the state-level and in the three district councils, including the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, to study the matter and submit its report within 45 days.
The Leader of Opposition eventually withdrew his resolution after being satisfied with Tynsong’s reply and assurance.