Meghalaya CM yet to implement Rs 25 lakh COVID-19 relief in own constituency: BJP

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 27, 2020

The state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged anomalies in the implementation of the fund amounting to Rs 25 lakh sanctioned to each of the 60 legislators as COVID-19 relief. 

According to the party’s state vice president and spokesperson, Bernard N Marak, the 25 lakh sanctioned to the MLAs of Garo Hills is not properly implemented during the lockdown. 

“Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma is yet to implement the Rs 25 lakh sanctioned for the relief work in his South Tura constituency,” Marak alleged. 

He said information received from the Tura Municipal Board under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has revealed “the fact that Rs 25 lakh sanctioned for South Tura MLA was unutilised…”

The RTI further revealed that Rs 12.5 lakh sanctioned for North Tura MLA was paid to one supplier, he said while adding that the status of the Rs 12.5 lakh is unknown as the list of beneficiaries could not be furnished by the implementing agencies.

“…(This) compel one to doubt the relief was issued to the ‘Ghost beneficiaries’. North Tura getting 50% if 25 lakhs compared to South Tura remains another question,” Marak stated.

The BJP leader also said that the RTI findings in Tura have revealed the un-utilisation of relief funds. 

“The BJP State President Ernest Mawrie have asked for the expenditure details of the relief works done under 25 lakhs from the representatives but till now only BJP MLAs have submitted the details of the expenditure. It looks like there are anomalies in the utilisation of 25 lakhs by other MLAs too which we will verify through RTIs,”he said.

Stating that Rs 200 crore spent for COVID-19 is not a small amount, he said BJP wants a corruption free governance in the state of Meghalaya. 

“BJP will have ‘0’ tolerance against corruption and any kind of corrupt practice will not be tolerated,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Marak also alleged that there has been so much anomalies in the implementation of BJP sponsored schemes in the state that it has affected the lives of many in the rural areas. 

He said that Narendra Modi’s dream was to feed the poor and support those who were affected during lockdown but not even 5 kg rice reached the poor families in the state. “The farmer’s and daily wage earner’s were deprived of their rights. The youths got nothing during lockdown,” he added.