SHILLONG, FEB 24: The union government has sanctioned Rs 1000 crore as a ‘special assistance grant’ for the ten Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) in the north eastern region including Meghalaya during the financial year 2015-2016.
While hailing the decision of the BJP led NDA central government, the ten district councils under the banner of the Forum of Councils under Sixth Schedule (FOCUS) has urged the centre to continue the ‘special assistance grant’ till the time that the ADCs are included under the Article 280 of the Constitution.
Out of Rs 267.4 crore sanctioned for Meghalaya, the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) alone will be receiving a total amount of Rs 133.12 crore, while Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) with Rs 100.71 crore and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) with Rs 33.57 crore.
The others including North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council will be getting Rs 24.66 crore, Chakma Autonomous District Council – Rs 4.58 crore, Lai Autonomous District Council – Rs 4.64 crore, Mara Autonomous District Council – Rs 7.64 crore, Bodoland Territorial Council – Rs 421.02 crore, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council – Rs 94.11 crore and Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council – Rs 175.95 crore.
“The centre has sanctioned special assistance of Rs 1000 crore for the ten ADCs in the north eastern region during 2015-16,” said FOCUS chairman Pynshngainlang Syiem, who is also chief in the KHADC, while addressing a press conference on Wednesday.
He said the centre’s decision to grant the special assistance followed the requests made by the delegation of the ADCs under the FOCUS through the Finance Ministry and Ministry of Home Affairs after they were excluded from the 14th Finance Commission.
“We had last year met the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Union Minister for Home Affairs Rajnath Singh to discuss on the matter related to exclusion of the ADCs from the 14th Finance Commission, in which the centre has assured us not to worry,” Syiem said.
Stating the special assistance grant is just a ‘stop-gap-arrangement’, he said, “We have already submitted our proposal urging the centre to include the ADCs under Article 280 of the Constitution to ensure they continue to enjoy the assistance from the 14th Finance Commission,” adding “The Home Ministry is already on the job to amend the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India.”
Expressing gratitude to NDA led central government, the FOCUS chief said, “We are very happy and thankful that the centre has been kind enough to provide us with this fund so that we could achieve our goals and objectives.”
He however said, “We have also urged the centre to continue the special assistance till the time that the ADCs are included under Article 280.”- By Our Reporter
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