3 ADCs in Meghalaya proposes central grants of Rs 8877 Cr for next five years period

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 30, 2024

The three autonomous district councils on Monday submitted proposals of Rs 8877.51 crore to the 16^th Finance Commission.

Speaking to reporters, KHADC CEM Pyniaid Sing Syiem said, “Of this, the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) has proposed a proposal of Rs 5042.30 crore, Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) at Rs 2,641.54 crore and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) at Rs 1,019.60 crore.”

Syiem also highlighted the three major important points put forth by the three ADCs before the commission. The ADCs have requested the 16^th FC to recommend more Untied Grants from next year onwards.

He said, “Unlike in the 15^th Finance Commission, they have given more Tied grants. Basically, they categorized the Tied grants, which will be used mainly for water related projects and health and sanitation project. Through our experiences, we find that it is very difficult for us if they have kept separate categorization of funds to utilize. Sometimes, we need other projects for development of schools, colleges or for community buildings or whatever but we have to concentrate on other issues. For us not to contradict on the implementation of these developmental schemes, we have suggested and requested the 16^th FC to be more flexible on Untied grants, so that on untied grants, we can used for any other developmental activities proposed by the village heads or nokmas or the elakas.”

Syiem also informed that the ADCs have urged the Commission to ensure the central fundings to the ADCs should be through the Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) or North Eastern Council (NEC) and not through the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR).

The KHADC CEM also said they have urged the Commission to recommend grants for establishment of day-to-day functioning and activities of the councils under the central government’s revenue deficit budget grant.

“We have informed the commission that all three ADCs dependent from the royalty shares on major minerals like coal (almost we get 25% from 100%). Since the ban on coal mining has been there for past 10 years, the JHADC and GHADC cannot pay salary to their employees and this has affected the two ADCs so much. Therefore, we have highlighted this issue to the FC and we have asked the FC to recommend grants for establishment of day-to-day functions and activities of the council from the revenue deficit budget grant of the central government,” he said.

“Actually, this revenue deficit budget grant mainly it is a grant for those states or constitutional institutions, which cannot function anymore due to deficit of revenue. We have also been affected by that so that is why we have asked under this revenue deficit budget grant so at least they can give us like annual grant for all the 3 ADCs so that we can maintain the day-to-day function of the council so that these non-payment of salaries will not happen again in the coming years,” he added.