BJP MDC demands high-level inquiry into misuse of funds by previous ECs in GHADC

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 1, 2024

BJP Tura MDC Bernard N Marak has demanded the institution of a high-level inquiry into the alleged misuse of funds by the previous executive committees and the non-implementation of the ANVC agreement over the last 10 years.

In a letter to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Sunday, Marak said, “Therefore, a high-level inquiry is sought into these matters.”

He emphasized the need for the government to take note of the following issues, which have worsened the financial crunch in GHADC as the previous Executive Committee rampantly misused the funds meant for GHADC.

Stating that demands by GHADC employees for the implementation of the 5th Pay Commission are genuine, he said that the notification was issued by the then NPP CEM of GHADC in 2018 to approve and endorse the Fifth Meghalaya Pay Commission vide no F(PR)-49/2017/192.

He said that through that notification, all departments were directed to prepare the pay and allowances of officers and staff under the new revision of pay and allowances as per the provisions of the Meghalaya Services (Revision of Pay) and other related rules, starting from the month of April 2018. However, that official notification was not honoured or followed by the other Executive Committees, who were always from your political party.

He pointed out that from 2018 till today, the budgets are prepared and passed in the 5th Pay Commission Scale, but the employees continued to receive payments under the 4th Pay Commission. Marak stated, “Sir, it looks like there is a serious anomaly in the Executive Committee for which I insist that you take the matter seriously as exposure of the scam can be fatal.”

“I also want to inform you that, after the signing of the Peace Pact by ANVC groups, the Centre, and the State Government in 2014, Rs 100.71 crores were sanctioned as a special package followed by many other packages in the years that followed under NPP rule in the GHADC, which has led to many anomalies, some of which are pending in court, and others are under inquiry. Though the fund was sanctioned through an agreement, the members of the ANVC groups were never informed nor kept in the monitoring committee by the State Government, despite it being decided in review meetings that signatories from ANVC.B were to be made members,” Marak said.

“The funds were also routed without the Finance Commission in place in the State, violating the agreement, which has led to fund anomalies by the previous Executive Committees, who have violated the guidelines by diverting approximately Rs 53 crores from the Centre Funds to pay the salaries of the employees, which in reality was never paid to the employees. Even 40% of the amounts sanctioned in the name of the projects disappeared from the Council account without payment being made to the contractors. Therefore, a high-level inquiry is sought into these matters,” he stated.

Further, the MDC also requested the CM to take the ANVC group’s agreement signed in 2014 seriously and convene a meeting to review the implementation of the agreed texts, as the State seems to have hijacked most of the projects without the knowledge of the signatories.

“It is a betrayal to the Garo people in general. Handing over of the departments, as agreed, was also pending in the last 10 years. Therefore, sir, I urge you, as the Chief Minister, to look into these matters and address them in the interest of the people of Garo Hills, who have been deprived of the benefits of an Agreement. I will do my best to assist you in improving the situation, which might lead to the collapse of GHADC,” he added.