‘No new projects to state’

SHILLONG, FEB 9: State BJP on Tuesday alleged that Meghalaya is unlikely to get more projects from the Ministry of DoNER due to its failure to implement the already sanctioned projects.

The statement was made after a delegation of the state unit of the BJP led by its president Shibun Lyngdoh had met the Union Minister of DoNER, Jitendra Singh in New Delhi last month.

The delegation had sought clarification behind the state government decision to return back a total amount of Rs 144 crore to the ministry.

“Under the leadership of the incumbent chief minister Mukul Sangma, I don’t think the state government is in a position to get more new projects from the DoNER ministry,” BJP national council member, Edmund K Sangma told reporters on Tuesday.

Sangma said, “During our meeting, the union minister told us the ministry will not be sanctioning any new projects to Meghalaya until and unless they produce the necessary utilization certificates of the already sanctioned projects.”

Sangma also informed, “The DoNER ministry is of the impression that Meghalaya is interested in only getting the first installment (which is of 40 per cent) and after getting they abandoned the projects which were approved by the ministry.”

According to him, many of the projects that were sanctioned by the ministry could not be implemented due to the failure of the government to submit the utilization certificates.

“After drawing the 40 per cent, which is the first installment, in order to get the second installment released, the government requires to produce utilization certificates which they failed to do so,” Sangma said adding “According to the ministry, without production of the UCs, the second installment for implementation of the projects cannot be released.”

He alleged this is the reason why no new projects have been sanctioned by the ministry to the state till now.

When asked, the party leader however could not pin point as to what projects which the state government has failed to produce the UCs, which in turn leads to the returning back of the Rs 144 crore.

Stating it is an unfortunate state of affairs for the people of Meghalaya, Sangma however said, “The party has decided to soon seek clarification from the state government on the projects, which it had failed to implement miserably.”

Earlier, BJP state president Shibun Lyngdoh lambasted the state government for not implementing the projects.

“The feedback we are getting from the ministry is that the Meghalaya government don’t work and never come forward to claim the remaining 60 per cent for ensuring the completion of these projects,” Lyngdoh said.

He informed that the DoNER ministry is contemplating to send a team for enquiring into the matter.-By Our Reporter