SHILLONG, APR 12: Union Panchayati Raj Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh on Tuesday assured that the centre would ensure that funds are made available to the three states including Meghalaya which do not have Panchayati system.
“Certainly we would see that funds are made available to these three states,” Singh told reporters during a video conferencing interaction on Tuesday.
The video conferencing is held to inform the people about the launching of the nationwide movement towards social harmony, strengthening of Panchayati Raj, rural development and farmers’ progress on April 14.
The 14th Finance Commission did not allocate any funds to the three states that have Autonomous District Council (ADC).
Stating that Meghalaya has a system of autonomous district council (ADC), Singh said, “The councils should have the funds so that they can also work and this is possible when the state government come out with some kind of formulae.”
He also said there is a separate provision for all these three states to compensate them on the same ground as the directing funding to the panchayats.
“However, as far as these three states are concerned, we have to dwelt on the mechanism and find what kind of funds should be delivered,” Singh added.
When asked on the implementation of the NREGA, the union minister informed that this year the total allocation is Rs 38,500 crore. He however said that there cannot be any allocation to the states as it is purely a ‘demand-driven scheme’.
“Whenever there is demand generated we have to meet that demand,” he said.
Stating that Meghalaya is really keen to see some of the works should be taken under NREGA, Singh assured that the centre would give all kinds of assistant to Meghalaya.- By Our Reporter
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