SHILLONG, MAR 11: Members of the opposition under the banner of the Meghalaya People’s Forum (MPF) demanded enhancement of the Special Rural Works Programme (SRWP) – popularly known as MLA scheme from Rs I crore to Rs 3 crore to ensure better development in the state.
“It is necessary to increase the SRWP to Rs 3 crore,” GNC legislator Clifford R Marak told the ongoing assembly when he moved a special motion on Tuesday.
Stating that the MP scheme under Local Area Development (LAD) is Rs 5 crores, Marak felt that the provisions of sanctioning of Rs I crore for each legislator is not sufficient based on area and population to ensure development in all the 60 constituencies in the state.
Supporting the motion, opposition leader Donkupar Roy said that the demand for enhancement of the SRWP is genuine as the value of money that has gone down due to inflation. He said, “The government should review and consider enhancement of the scheme.”
Roy also said there is a need to amend the guidelines of the scheme and include provision that address unemployment and allows purchase of taxi for educated unemployed youth. He suggested that the government provide some sort of margin money as assistance to the youths to avail loan.
Roy said around Rs 10 lakh is required to promote youth activities as the funds for the said purpose now is quite meager.
Joining in the discussion UDP legislator Metbah Lyngdoh lamented that the funds sanctioned under SWRP for construction of low-cost-housing is insufficient and therefore deprives the beneficiaries of their rights.
Pointing out that the central IAY scheme was enhanced from Rs 48, 500 to Rs 75, 000 last year, Lyngdoh said.“However, under the SWRP, it is only Rs 35,000 and these days, it is a meager amount that does not meet the construction of low cost housing.”
Lyngdoh concluded by saying that it is time that the state government considers enhancement of this particular scheme in the interest of the people of the state.
Responding to the arguments for enhancement of the SWRP, Meghalaya Community & Rural Development (C&RD) minister Prestone Tynsong sarcastically said, “The more you get, the more you want. I personally feel that all schemes are very important and contribute for the development of each constituency and state as whole.”
He informed that during the current year, the state government has earmarked Rs 67. 5 crore for implementation of the newly introduce scheme – the ‘State Rural Infrastructural Development (SRID)’.
“Of the total amount, the 39 C&RD blocks will get an amount of Rs 1.5 crore each which will also be circulated to all the MLAs,” Tynsong informed adding with this initiative maximum development will flow to the village level.
Informing that a convergent programme for black topping of roads was also taken up since 2011, Tynsong said that each block has been getting an amount of Rs 50 lakh for 2 kilometers road adding that black topping of 77.383 kilometers of road was completed.
With the state government seeing t the effectiveness of the scheme, Tynsong said the government has decided to increase the amount to Rs 39 crore during 2012-2013 upon which a total length of 1.55. 872 kilometers of village roads have been completed.
He also informed that the funds for year 2013-2014 financial years have been sanctioned and finalized and it will be immediately release to all the 39 blocks after the completion of the Lok Sabha elections.
Tynsong assured the assembly that the motion will be examine by the government.
On the propose amendment to the SWRP, Tynsong said that necessary amendment will be brought to suit the prevailing situation as suggested by the members of the house.- By Our Reporter
I would suggest scrap MLA, MDC,scheme as they(Politicians) are being bias and also no double office of profit seat please…because the party men of the winner will enjoy both MLA and MDC scheme…..
MLA’s and MDC ‘s should do what they are paid for and stop worrying about schemes as this is all a loan, and not from our revenue…people should be made aware that these so called schemes are but loans and the future generation will be carrying the burden of repaying….and while we all run for these freebies the sly Officers become Chairman’s, Directors, of all projects that are fleecing us and now one example is the MeeCL….we are being strayed from the corruption in thousands of crores…this is how you see the grand palatial abode of the many Politicians, Babus, Officers…etc etc…they allow the government servants to loot and they loot the big ones and just to keep us quiet they pretend to arrests small guys…Big ones are spared till today with excuses galore…
The MLAs’ and MDCs’ schemes are realy loan? If it is so, it is shameful on the part of our representatives to even mention MLAs’ and MDCs’ schemes.
Kong Agnes is requested to make aware to the public these anomalies if you are ríght. I appeal to kong Agnes to move the Supreme Court concerning the education job scam as you thundered earlier.
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