BJP asks people to be careful while accepting the FOCUS scheme

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaDecember 9, 2022

BJP state president Ernest Mawrie on Friday accused the National People’s Party (NPP) of taking a loan of over Rs 1500 crore for distribution to the people under the FOCUS scheme.

He also warned people that the scheme given to them is not a grant but a loan, which they will have to repay in the future.

Speaking to reporters, Mawrie said the recent statement made by the Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong was not clear as to from where has the money really come from for implementation of the FOCUS scheme.

He however said as per sources, it was learnt that the NPP-led government had taken a loan of over Rs 1500 crore from the foreign investments.

“If they are taking a loan (to implement the FOCUS scheme), definitely in the future banks will catch the beneficiaries like it happened during the Congress government and they will have to repay back (the loan) with interest…,” Mawrie alleged while adding “Therefore, I request the people of the state to be careful because you may receive Rs 5,000 but in the future you will have to repay back the loan with interest as it is not free and it is not a grant.”

Slamming the NPP for trying to make the FOCUS as a “party scheme”, the BJP state president said, “They are fooling the people and they go from one constituency to another by asking their bank accounts with a promise to deposit the amount. Why did they not do it in the last 2-3 years why during the last moment if they want to really help the people?”

Mawrie said that the state government has to come clear as to from where has the money come for the implementation of this FOCUS scheme.

Quoting a statement made by the Agriculture Minister Banteidor Lyngdoh, he said, “The Minister had clarified that FOCUS scheme is being given to the Producer Groups (PGs) who consist of farming community and that the scheme should be implemented in rural areas.”

“Surprisingly, NPP workers are going to people and asking for their bank accounts to distribute money from the FOCUS scheme even in Shillong city. This clearly shows that the NPP is making the scheme as a party scheme. But we will not allow them to misuse government schemes to fool the people,” Mawrie added.

Asked, the BJP president said that the party MLA and cabinet minister Sanbor Shullai had raised objection against this misuse of government scheme in the recently held All-party meeting.

He also claimed that the other coalition partners are also supporting the stand of the BJP on this issue that the NPP cannot misuse the government scheme for their political gain.

Referring to the Central government programmes, Mawrie said that whether election or not, these schemes are being implemented throughout the year as the objective is to help the poor people of the state. But what the NPP is trying to do is to fool the people ahead of the elections, he alleged.