SHILLONG, March 18: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday told the House that phase II of the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme (GSWSS) has been given Rs 12.5 crore out of Rs. 100 crore received from the Centre as the first installment under the special assistance for capital expenditure for projects nearing completion.
The Chief Minister said this while replying to a supplementary question raised by East Shillong MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh on whether AMRUT funding will now be diverted for the completion of the GSWSS phase III project.
Clarifying the confusion, the Chief Minister said the project was originally funded by JNNURM under urban funding but the implementing agency was the PHE since the Urban department did not have the manpower. The funding has always been under JNNURM, he insisted.
“At the same time, we have received a very special package from the government of India for capital expenditure and for projects which were 50-60% complete and needed a little more funding to be completed. From that fund of Rs 200 crore, we have taken out Rs 12.5 crore from the first installment of Rs 100 crore,” he said.
Earlier, replying to a query raised by Mawlai legislator P.T. Sawkmie on the amount invested by the state as per its share on the project, PHE Minister Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar said that the state in the last 10 year has invested the state share of 10% of this project. This works out to Rs. 19.35 crore while the central share of funding is Rs 174.15 crore.
“It is not enough. We need additional funding of Rs. 65.57 crore, of which we received Rs. 12.5 crore,” he said, claiming 72% of the work on GSWSS phase III has been completed and that the department was keen on celebrating its completion together with the 50 years of statehood.
Mawphlang MLA Syntar K. Sunn alluded to the Chief Minister’s reply on the reduction of the scope of GSWSS phase III during the general discussion on the budget and sought to know which components have been reduced. “There may be some items that were not required. Specific components reduced or increased are included in the revised estimate,” the PHE Minister said.
