Leader of opposition Dr. Mukul Sangma today said that the Meghalaya Integrated Transport Project (MITP) launched by the Conrad Sangma government for road connectivity in the State has not shown any results despite claims by the government that the money had been spent for the project.
Addressing the block level meeting of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) in Selsella today, Dr. Sangma accused the MDA government of countless discrepancies in governance.
“The Meghalaya Integrated Transport Project made way for travel, business, and market linkage for the development of the agricultural sector. MITP received funds of 120 billion dollars from the World Bank. The MDA government claimed to have spent it in two years. However, no signs of development are being reflected even after five years,” Dr. Sangma said.
Dr. Sangma pointed out the “sheer lie” in the projection of the FOCUS scheme. He also said that in the past the MDA had demonised the Integrated Basin Development and Livelihood Promotion (IBDLP) project but now all schemes launched by the present government were routed from IBDLP.
“During my time in the government, to ensure that each family has at least three income resources, we introduced the IBDLP. The FOCUS scheme is a part of the very same Basin Development scheme. The MDA initially demonised the IBDLP scheme, however, to this date the MDA has no unique scheme which does not route from the IBDLP,” he said.
Dr. Sangma further reminded the people of the financial assistance he provided when he was the chief minister of the State.
“I introduced women’s economic empowerment through the Financial Power scheme. I used to give Rs 5,000 each to women in their bank accounts. But after coming to power in 2018, the new government retracted the scheme. The money was still there, but the people could not take the benefits anymore.”
He also said that if his party comes to power in 2023, it will ensure the distribution of funding to womenfolk through the scheme.
AITC MLA from Rangsakona Zenith Sangma urged the people to vote wisely in the coming elections and said, “In the upcoming 2023 polls, we have to make the right call before voting so that peace prevails in the country and the younger generation has a secured future.”
Taking a jibe at the ruling dispensation over their hypocritical stand on the Citizenship Amendment Act, Balachanda MDC Agassi Marak said, “Before elections, NPP said things like ‘we would reject the Citizenship Amendment Act’. Yet after winning, Agatha Sangma supported the same act in Parliament. Therefore, we should reject such a party.”
Several leaders of Meghalaya AITC were present at the meeting. They include State Mahila Wing president Selma D. Shira, Amongpara MDC Nehru D. Sangma and Rongrong MDC Rinaldo K. Sangma among other leaders.
According to the AITC, around 5,000 people attended the meeting and vowed to support the party’s causes.
