SHILLONG: A delegation of Synjuk ki Nongsynshar Shnong Nongthymmai Pyllun met Community and Rural Development Minister (C&RD) Sniawbhalang Dhar pertaining to the scheme of ‘My village, my plan’, a scheme which is sanctioned under the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, president of the Synjuk BL Nari said the minister assured them that he would discuss the matter with officials concerned.
“He said the government will not go ahead with anything that affects the people and will go with the sense of the majority. We also feel that there is a huge obstruction when it comes to implementing the development schemes and we told him about the scheme and the formation of the Gram Sabha committee,” he said. Nari said the manner in which the implementation of the scheme is not very clear and traditional heads will not accept developmental schemes that can harm the future well-being of the indigenous community.
He added that the traditional heads were not very clear on the committees which they were asked to constitute and directed to work with the block offices and the committees.
“But when they asked us to constitute committees for health, infrastructure, agriculture, poverty alleviation, we found it was in the name of Gram Sabha,” he said.
“We found the definition of Gram Sabha is almost similar to Dorbar Shnong but we are apprehensive as the conduct of election is not made clear. We want to be clear who elects the office bearers of Gram Sabha,” he added.
Nari raised the concern that the fate of Dorbar Shnong depends on indigenous people and maintained that the traditional institutions will collapse with the coming of Gram Sabha.
GS of Synjuk Bawan Khyriem said the system in which the scheme was implemented “is not good and the Khasi community will be in danger if the Dorbar Shnong makes the mistake of accepting it without understanding”.
