Tura MDC Bernard Marak of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has criticised what he claims is the state government’s attempt to further dilute the power of the autonomous district councils in the state.
In a release today, Marak, cited a letter sent to the Centre by cabinet minister Sniawbhalang Dhar in 2020.
In it the state government asked the Centre to recognise Village Employment Councils, which have been set up to implement projects under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), as ‘rural bodies’ for the purpose of funding. The Centre only considers the district councils to be rural bodies for this purpose.
In his release, Marak said that the state is trying to mislead the Centre and trying to dilute the constitutional provisions to take away funds sanctioned to the district councils, specifically tied grants recommended by the 15th Finance Commission.
In the letter, Dhar had said that the VECs are village level bodies that are fully democratic and representative. Marak rubbished this by claiming that office bearers are “appointed without election”, the Centre’s order to empower women remains “impractical” and people work but their wages are uncleared.
Such attempts to defund the ADCs is a violation of the peace deal signed with the ANVC and ANVC(B) militant groups in Garo Hills; Marak was the leader of the latter outfit.
