Deputy Chief Executive Member Gigur Myrthong today informed that the state government is yet to give a clear response related to the release of the remaining 50 percent of the tied scheme meant for the Khasi Autonomous District Council (KHADC) from the central government.
The state government is instead saying that it has to get the central government’s response on this matter, he told the house. The KAHDC has asked the state government to speed up the process because, if further delayed, the state will also have to pay the council interest for delaying the scheme.
On Thursday Executive Member Martle Mukhim said that the state government has released Rs 20.475 crore, which is the basic grant from the untied scheme. On the remaining Rs 20.475 crore, he said that the KHADC has discussed the matter with the government, which promised to look into the matter. The funds were sanctioned by the 15th Finance Commission for sanitation and water supply projects.
Myrthong said that Public Health Engineering Minister Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar gave an assurance that he will clarify the matter with concerned officers of the department if the tied scheme will be incorporated along with the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) or not.
“We need these schemes for our respective MDC constituencies and the EC will follow up till it gets a clear answer,” Myrthong.
Earlier Mylliem MDC Ronnie V Lyngdoh said that the central funds for excluded areas are meant for the district council and the state government cannot violate the direction of the Centre by holding on to the funds meant for the council.
“I have gone through the minutes of the meeting headed by the Chief Secretary where it was clearly stated that resources have to be mobilized for the Jal Jeevan Mission and maybe the state government through the council will not know if they take what has been earmarked for the council by the ministry of tribal affairs,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lyngdoh also said that many big developmental projects have come to the state but the council is not getting any royalties out of them.
Referring to the Shillong-Tamabil road project, he said that the state government will earn royalties from the use of forest land from the contractors and the KHADC should also get a share of income from such projects.
