By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 12: Attacking the government on the mode of selection as well as implementation of PMGSY projects, Leader of the Opposition, Mukul Sangma on Friday charged the government with failure to complete pending works and causing delay in disbursing payments to contractors, thereby defeating the core objectives of the scheme.
Moving a cut motion in the Assembly, Sangma said the criteria of access to healthcare, schools and markets were crucial when Meghalaya first signed an agreement with the World Bank to avail funding for PMGSY projects.
He recalled that the state was the first in the Northeast to do so, and the idea was to address human development factors by connecting scattered habitations.He maintained that convergence of projects was missing and urged the Chief Minister to take cognizance of how poor road connectivity continued to affect maternal and infant mortality rates, as pregnant women often could not reach hospitals during emergencies.
He further pointed out that several roads in Garo Hills remained in a dilapidated state, with timber bridges still in use despite availability of funds.
He cited his own experience of back pain caused by pothole-ridden roads, and recalled how a landslide in 2014 that blocked NH-51 for two weeks had shown the importance of alternative lifelines. He also pressed for better connectivity to Mendipathar railway station, stating that roads leading to it were dotted with potholes and collapsed timber bridges.
On tourism potential, Sangma said more diligence was needed to identify spots in Garo Hills and invest in infrastructure to promote the sector.
He flagged the Dadenggre-Tura road as unsafe and narrow, narrating how he had once met with an accident on that stretch. He also stressed on the need to upgrade inter-state roads such as the Mylliem-Mankachar link, which he called a vital trading route.
Highlighting delays in closing earlier phases of PMGSY projects, he accused the government of failing to ensure accountability.
He said contractors had been running back and forth to Shillong in the past month without receiving payments due to them. He also raised concerns over inflated cost estimates in DPRs, alleging that collusion between officials and contractors might be responsible.
The Opposition Leader argued that the fact many contractors quoted 15 to 20 per cent below the estimates itself showed manipulation of figures. He demanded stringent scrutiny of DPR preparation and implementation to prevent misuse of funds. Finally, he urged the government to connect all eligible villages with a population of 250 and above, stressing that rural connectivity was essential to improving the state’s Human Development Index.