Shillong, Feb 24: The Chief Minister Special Development Fund (CMSDF) is being used as a tool for political gain, the opposition said in the Assembly today.
Taking part during a cut motion on supplementary demand for grants during the ongoing Budget Session, Leader of the Opposition Dr Mukul Sangma said that the CMSDF “is being weaponised to get political mileage.”
He sought to know how beneficiaries are selected and the process of implementation in the schemes supported under the CMSDF.
According to Dr Sangma, the CMSDF is used to create an environment for the office of the Chief Minister to respond to various demands and as a funnelling provision so that all demands can be considered. In the past, MLAs were invited to submit proposals for support under the CMSDF but, in the last few years, Dr Sangma said that he has not received any more notice from the CM’s secretariat.
“Therefore in absence of communication it becomes difficult for us whether the same methodology of funneling the funds is still being followed,” Dr Sangma, of the Trinamool Congress, said.
Mawlai MLA Brighstarwell Marbaniang of the opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP), who also took part in the cut motion, said that he was personally surprised to see every now and then the Chief Minister in his constituency distributing funds from the CMSDF scheme.
Marbaniang told the house that he had personally sent proposals to the CM’s office three times from 2023 to 2025 but has not received any communication on these. On the other hand, he said that those individuals or organisations that are close to the CM or his party (the National People’s Party) “get whatever they ask for”.
Responding, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma clarified that political affiliation is not a factor at all in the disbursal of funds under the CMSDF. “I go with the needs of the organisations, I don’t look into party affiliation,” he said, adding that even in NPP-held constituencies the local MLAs may not be informed beforehand.
According to Sangma, the CMSDF is a flexible way to provide access to the CM’s secretariat directly. “Under a democratic setup it is not necessary that proposals come only from the MLA,” the CM added.
He told the Assembly that apart from the MLAs, whenever NGOs, Rangbah Shnongs, village communities apply for schemes the government will have the flexibility to sanction funds. Sangma said that during 2025-2026 the CMSDF had a sanction of Rs 50 crore and the amount has been fully utilised.
