SHILLONG:
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Tura MDC Bernard N Marak on January 8 accused the National People’s Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government of failing to release funds meant for Self-help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and other registered organizations in the state.
Issuing a statement, Marak said that under the leadership of Narendra Modi the BJP government had sanctioned funds for SHGs, FPOs and Clubs in Meghalaya for taking up various activities under different heads and in different fields.
“However, the funds failed to reach the beneficiaries and NPP led state government is answerable to these lapses,” he said.
Alleging that funds are yet to be credited to the accounts of these groups, Marak said that the departments concerned and administration did not take the initiative to make the public aware of such schemes.
“It has come to the knowledge of the leaders at the centre that funds are not dispersed into the accounts of the beneficiary groups, and administration is answerable to the Union Ministers,” he said.
He said that Union Minister of State John Barla’s visit and inspection of various project funded by Modi government has been an eye opener to rectify the lapses on the ground.
Under National Livelihood Mission (NLM), he said funds have been allotted to SHGs, FPOs and other registered organisations which are now being called to open an account and complete all documentations.
The BJP leader further claimed that the frequent visit of the Union Ministers have compelled the authorities to initiate the process of verifying the accounts and other necessary documents of SHGs, FPOs and Clubs too.
He said that the BJP at the centre is well aware of the anomalies in the state on disbursement of funds to the beneficiaries.
Even SHGs did not get the schemes under National Livelihood Mission.
Informing that the Union Minister of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry will be visiting Garo Hills, he said that the SHGs, Clubs and FPOs can submit their complains to the Union Minister.