SHILLONG:
The government has collected over Rs 754.06 crore revenue from coal and other major minerals in the last three years.
Informing that, cabinet minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said that of the said amount, while 75 per cent and 25 per cent of the revenue from coal went to the state government and Autonomous District Councils (ADCs), respectively, from other minerals, the state government took 40 per cent revenue and the rest went to the ADCs.
Dhar also informed that the state government during 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 has released a total amount of Rs. 209, 39, 36, 458 to the three ADCs and the pending amount to be paid is Rs. 21, 01, 25, 236.
Giving a breakup of the amount of the share to the respective ADCs, Dhar informed the House that, while Rs. 129 crore went to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) got Rs 23, 2, 94,406 and to the Jaiñtia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC), an amount of Rs 57, 27, 53, 706 was released.
He also informed that balance payment to KHADC is Rs 2, 83, 13 587 and that for JHADC is Rs. 18,18,11,649.
Meanwhile, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) MLA from Rangsakona Zenith M Sangma urged the government to pay the pending amount.
“In GHADC salaries of 30 months have not been paid to the employees. From the central funding there is no component for the payment of salaries. They are completely dependent on the revenue that are generated to the respective ADCs,” Sangma said.
Meanwhile, Dhar informed that all the pending payment to the ADCs are being processed and is currently with the finance department. “It will be cleared as soon as the process is completed,” he said.