Shillong, May 23: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has threatened to take legal action against the MDA-2 government if it does not curtail expenditures on non-performing government bodies as over Rs 4 crore was already spent on two such panels.
The reply to RTI filed by the HYC revealed that the government had spent over Rs 4.42 crore on the Meghalaya Economic Development Council (MEDC) and Meghalaya Resource and Employment Generation Council (MREGC) and not even a single meeting was held during the last 5 years.
Addressing journalists, HYC general secretary Roykupar Synrem said, “We demand the Chief Minister of the State to take corrective actions to minimize the unnecessary expenses on these types of Committees, Commissions, Councils and others which does not provide any productive contributions to the government or the state as a whole.”
The Planning Department replied that the expenses towards the staff and other perks and facilities provided to 4 appointees of MEDC who had made claims till date under the Council is Rs 1,55,02,266.
Inspite of spending Rs 2,87,18,941 during the period, the resource and employment generation council did not sit for any meetings or provided any advice, suggestions or carried out any of the functions as mandated.
Synrem said the NPP-led government during 2018 to 2023 has constituted the Meghalaya Economic Development Council with a Chairman along with Co-Chairmen and Vice –Chairmen, who are affiliated or office bearers of the political parties in power.
He said payment of any types of remuneration should be given only after taking into consideration of the contribution made by these bodies and the practice of providing facilities like house rent, electricity bills, conveyance, furnishing of house and others should be stopped forthwith as these bodies are not permanent and does not even have their permanent offices.
Engagement of staff to various appointees should also be kept in abeyance till such time the government comes up with a concrete policy on the working of these bodies, he said.
“The organization will write to the Chief Minister in the coming days with demands and suggestions and if the Chief Minister or the Government does not take necessary steps, then we will be forced to take recourse to legal remedies to take actions against the Government for wastage of public money,” Synrem said.
On Conrad’s budget speech that the government intends to turn Meghalaya into a 10 billion dollars economy by 2027-28 as a farcical statement, the HYC leader said the state with a fiscal deficit budget of Rs 1592 crore is day dreaming of becoming Rs 80,000 crore economy in the next five years.
Regional planning and development councils
Synrem also pointed out that the government, instead of appointing cabinet ministers as done in 2004 to head the regional planning and development councils had entrusted district council members to head such councils, one for Garo Hills and another for Khasi Hills.
Bajop Pyngrope who was heading the regional council for Khasis Hills had availed monetary benefits while Rakesh Sangma from Garo Hills is yet to claim the same.
