Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 20: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today said Meghalaya is one of few states which have got additional funds of Rs 300 crore as a bonus for fully utilizing the capital investment fund.

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Sangma told reporters that the state has utilized the fund in a very efficient manner in different projects and different schemes. He cited the capital investment fund which was given to all the states as an example.

“Hence, we had urged the government of India to give additional funds as bonus to us because we have completed and utilized the capital investment fund. So Meghalaya is one of the few states which have got additional funds. After I urged the government of India we have received an additional 50 per cent of the total amount sanctioned to us. We got Rs 600 crore in the beginning plus minus and we are one of the few states that have finished for 2022-23 and another Rs 300 crore has been sanctioned to us,” he said.

Referring to his recent Delhi visit as public relation exercise, the chief minister said, “After the elections and on being sworn in as chief minister for the second term I felt it appropriate that I should pay a visit and meet all the concerned minister and urge them that like they have been supporting the state government of Meghalaya in the past five years, that they continue to do that and that is the basic discussion that we had.”

“Of course there were specific issues in specific ministries which we have taken up and in fact we have got a positive response whether it is the education department regarding CUET or whether it is the capital investment fund from the finance ministry. All those we have got positive response but as I said it was not a specific issue related to the trip it is more of a generic trip where we thought that we should say hello to everybody,” he added.

Asked if his government would appeal against the recent order passed by the Meghalaya High Court for deployment of CISF to check illegal transportation of coal, the chief minister said, “The government is examining it and will take a call on this in a few days.”

On the Assam chief minister’s claim, Sangma said, “We have been very clear from day one that Mukroh is not a disputed area at all. Mukroh is very much within the jurisdiction of Meghalaya and this is a stand that we have been very clear from day one.”

With regards to the court order asking the government to resolve the issue of relocating the Sweepers’ Colony, the chief minister said, “We will decide when it comes to the government so let the committee (HLC) do its work.”