JHADC’s Deputy Chairman ends General Discussion on Budget with no reply from CEM

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 15, 2022

The three MDCs of the opposition bench comprising two Congress MDCs namely Andrew Shullai and Hollando Lamin and BJP MDC Lakhon Lamin on Tuesday demanded the equal distribution of schemes to all MDCs in the JHADC as they are all working for the welfare and development of the people of Jaintia Hills Region.

Lamin and Biam lambasted the Executive Committee led by Thombor Shiwat (Chief Executive Member, JHADC) for being biased and partial towards the Opposition MDCs by not allotting them any schemes at all or give them few schemes.

The two MDCs were participating in the General Discussion of the Budget which was preponed to the second sitting of the opening day of the two days budget session and the MDCs barely had sixty minutes to examine the budget speech. 

Also Read | JHADC chief passed buck of deficit budget to increase in market price index

In a shock revelation, UDP MDC T Suchiang alleged that Raliang MLA Comingone Ymbon dictates on the implementation of MDC schemes in his constituency.

Customarily, the general discussion ends with a reply from the Chief Executive Member to the concern raised by the MDCs but perhaps for the first time in the history of JHADC the general discussion ended with no reply as the newly elected Deputy Chairman Het Pohthmi adjourned the House without giving an opportunity to Shiwat to reply and strangely Shiwat also did not intervened.

Meanwhile, in the Questions & Answers Session, the Chief Executive Member refused to provide reply to two questions raised by BJP MDC Lakhon Biam on royalty on transportation of cokes and secondly on renewal NOC to cement factories and total amount on ground that the questions are vague.

In reply to another question raised by Biam, Shiwat said that the total revenue receipt of the Council from 1.4.2021 to 31.12.2021 is Rs. 34, 94, 02, 432 while the total expenditure for the same period is Rs. 41, 72, 25, 319.

Replying to another question from Biam, the Chief Executive Member said that the total amount of royalty on both major and minor minerals is Rs. 25 crores from 1.4.2021 to 31.12.2021.