SHILLONG:
An amount of Rs 135.08 crore have been received by the State government under the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY) since implementation till date, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma informed the Assembly on September 19.
Replying to a query raised by UDP legislator from Shella Balajied K Synrem on the issue, Sangma said Rs 9,67 crore was received under the scheme for the year 2022-2023.
According to him, the schemes implemented under the PMKKKY in Sohra area include improvement of water supply of circuit house, Sohra civil sub-division to take up a new pumping water supply scheme from a nearby spring source known as Um Them Circuit amounting to Rs 21,80,600 and construction of rain water harvesting for circuit house, Sohra civil sub-division amounting to Rs 31,65,000.
On the issue related to the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) fund, Synrem sought to know whether mining affected area are taken up as primary concern while utilizing the fund.
To this, the chief minister said that as per guidelines, the identification of affected areas have to be looked into.
“As the name suggest this is a district mining fund, this is basically a trust which is then taken up at the level of the district and deputy commissioner is the chairman for screening and sanctioning of projects and the state government does not interfere in the process of such selection and sanctioning of funds,” he added.
Synrem further raised concern over the non-inclusion of MLAs as members of the DMF despite of being more aware of the schemes that are required to be implemented in the district.
Sangma in his reply informed that a new notification has been issued by the government on August 22, 2022 where MPs and MLAs of the district are also made members of the DMF. He also assured to again remind the district administration on the need to implement the said notification in letter and spirit.
Meanwhile, the chief minister has also assured that the State government will come up with an annaul report on the utilization of the funds.
This assurance was made based on the request made by the opposition AITC leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma, who had stressed on the need to ensure transparency in the utilization of said funds.