Pyniaid presents Rs 433410 deficit budget for KHADC

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 11: Chief of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) Pyniaid Sing Syiem today presented a Rs 4,33,410 deficit budget for the financial year 2024-2025.

Presenting the budget estimates during the first day of the council’s budget session, Syiem said, “There is a deficit in the budget estimate since the proposed expenditure at Rs 329,07,00,710 is higher than the council’s revenue receipts which is at Rs 329, 02, 67,300 .”

He however assured the house that the executive committee (EC) will try its best to find out ways and means to improve the revenue collection of the Council.

Syiem said the expenditure and receipts of the Council in the last budget of 2023-24 will however reflect in the budget for 2025-26 as the calculation is yet to be received.

The budget allocation will help in disbursing the salaries of members of the council, chairperson, deputy chairman, leader of opposition, executive members (EMs), officers and staff of the different departments (executive, legislative and judicial) of the Council.

The chief executive member also highlighted the steps taken by the executive committee during 2023-24 for improving the functioning of the council and its revenue generation capacity.

These include the passing of the Administration of Elaka (Amendment) Bill, 2023, United Khasi Jaintia Hills District Fishery (Amendment)Bill, 2023 and the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

He said the issuing of building permission of the executive committee through the Khasi Hills Building and Structure Regulatory Authority (KHBSRA) has to a great extent address the problems faced by the people and the revenue collected from the building permission has also helped improve the council’s exchequer.

Syiem said that the council is facing some problems in regards to the issuing of Land Title Right Certificate due to some notification of the state government.

“We are taking up the matter with the state government and we hope that it will be resolved very soon since the fees collected from the issuing of land title right certificate will also add to the revenue of the council,” he said.

He also informed that the executive committee has been proactive in checking against illegal trading by non-tribal.

Further, Syiem informed that the release of grants under the Finance Commission has been slow due to change in the implementation of the schemes. “The EC has recently uploaded all schemes in the e-Gram Swaraj portal and we hope that the government of India will soon release the funds to the council under the urban local bodies,” he said.

He also announced that the council will start maintaining land records under its jurisdiction with the help of the National Land Records Modernisation Programme (NLRMP).

Referring to the success of the recently concluded Monolith Festival, the CEM informed that the EC will soon introduce a Bill to ensure the festival is held once in a year for promoting and preserving the rich culture and heritage of the Khasi community.

KHADC moots pensions for former members

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Nov 21: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC)is considering payment of pensions to its former members.

This was informed before the Meghalaya High Court today during a hearing of a petition filed by 22 former MDCs.

The order passed by the Court said VGK Kynta, Sr counsel assisted by H Wanshong, counsel for the respondents, has again today made similar submissions with regard to the prayers of the writ petitioners, and submits that the matter is still under consideration and the placement of funds would be done as soon as funds are received.

BF Kharwanlang, counsel on behalf of the petitioners has raised strong objections and prays that positive directions be passed that within a stipulated time frame the respondents comply and afford the pension to the Ex -MDCs.

The court said the submissions of the counsels are noted. “It is a fact that repeated opportunities have been granted to the respondents to come up with positive indications with regard to the settlement of pensions of the Ex-MDCs. However, in the interest of justice, list this matter on 13 -12 -2023 for further orders,” it said.

Delimitation committee formed in KHADC

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Oct 26: Deputy Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) P.N Syiem today informed that a Delimitation Committee has been formed by the Executive Committee (EC) to examine on the demand to reorganize the boundary of some constituencies.

Speaking to media persons, Syiem said that the Delimitation Committee will include Chairman Dr. S. Kharsyiemlich, Rtd. Judge, District Council Court along with three members which include Dr. S.L Marbaniang, Ex MLA, R. Myrboh, Rtd. School Teacher, Dr. D.R.L Nonglait, Prof. Dept of Khasi, NEHU and Secretary M. Kharkrang, Rtd. Secretary of KHADC.

Syiem said that the decision to form the Delimitation Committee is after the district council had received over 15 written applications from villages who had requested the council to shift or re-arrange their villages to other constituencies vis a vis.

On the criteria for re-organization of various villages, Syiem said that it will be based on the population and geography of such villages but the final criteria will be framed by the committee.

50 pc pending pension of ex KHADC-MDCs released

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Oct 3: A delegation of former MDCs of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) today expressed gratitude to the incumbent Chief Executive Member (CEM) Pyniaid Sing Syiem for the decision to release the pending 50 per cent of the pension for all Ex-MDCs.

This came after the executive committee (EC) led by incumbent CEM had assured the ex-MDCs that the district council will soon clear all pending pensions.

Speaking to media persons, former MDC from Sohryngkham constituency Handle Mukhim said that in 2002, the then Executive Committee (EC) had introduced the Pension Bill for Ex-MDCs and the Bill in 2006 had received assent from the Governor of Meghalaya.

Mukhim said that though the Bill had received assent from the Governor yet the ex-MDCs did not receive their pension and this forced them to file a case at the Meghalaya High Court and in 2009 following the instruction of the Court, the KHADC had implemented the pension scheme.

He added that since 2012, the pension funds have been stopped and till date they have only received 50 per cent of the total pension amount.

“We are thankful to the former CEM Titosstarwell Chyne for taking the initiative to again release the pending pension and we are also thankful to EC led by the incumbent CEM Pyniaid Sing Syiem for the decision to release the remaining 50% of the pension scheme of all ex-MDCs,” said Mukhim.

Mukhim said that they have urged the CEM to release the pending pension amount in instalments by utilizing the available funds of the Council.

KHADC cracks down on illegal business in Iewduh

Chief of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) Titosstarwell Chyne on Thursday directed immediate action against illegal businesses by non-tribals at Iewduh, which is one of the biggest traditional markets in the state.

This came after conducting an inspection to Iewduh market where it was found that many non-tribals are running illegal businesses by failing to obtain necessary permission including trading licenses from the Council.

Chyne was accompanied by the executive member in-charge of Trade and officials from the council’s enforcement wing and office of the Syiem of Hima Mylliem.

Speaking to reporters, Chyne expressed concern to see people from outside operating illegal businesses within the jurisdiction of the Council and said, “That is why I have asked the enforcement wing to take action against these people as they don’t have any valid documents including trading licenses.”

“We have also conducted checking on a few shops and found that they too do not have trading licenses. We will issue show cause to all of them and action to the extent of closing down their shop will be taken,” he said while announcing that regular checking against illegal traders will be conducted occasionally.

The chief executive member said he does not want to blame anyone but instead would urge everyone right from the Syiem of Hima Mylliem, his ministers and also the council’s enforcement wing to take this matter seriously.

“I also assure that the executive committee will take this matter very seriously and ensure the enforcement wing will do its job by fully implementing the Trading by Non-Tribal Regulation Act where we cannot just allow people from outside to come and operate their illegal businesses in our land without getting trading licenses. Having said that, it does not mean that the EC wants that every non-tribal should get the trading license but the objective is to reduce it to ensure the livelihood of our people is not affected,” he added.

Chyne said, “I cannot carry a gun without a license. We have to first apply for the license then we buy a gun or I cannot drive a taxi without a permit so same with trade meaning these people from outside cannot operate their businesses without getting a trading license. Therefore it is highly illegal on their part to operate their businesses without a trading license and that is why we will ensure people who have not applied for the trading license will not get a trading license as they have violated.”

Further, the CEM informed that he had also sought a report to ensure no non-tribal will be allowed to carry out hawking business at Iewduh excluding those who already obtained proper trading licenses. “I also urge the EM trade to close down all illegal businesses in Iewduh,” he added.

ADCs fail to submit UCs on central schemes

The autonomous district councils (ADCs) have failed to submit pending utilization certificates (UCs) for the implementation of various development schemes sanctioned by the Centre during 2017 – 2022.

Out of the grants of Rs 385.71 crore received as central grants during 2017-22, the ADCs could submit UCs for only Rs 129.63 crore (34%) of the total fund allotted, said the State Finances Audit Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India for the year ended March 31, 2022.

Non-submission of the UCs means that the authorities have not explained as to how funds were spent over the years or they were not spent, it said.

The CAG has suggested that the ADCs may be advised to submit the pending UCs.

Meanwhile, the report said that the annual accounts of the ADCs were in arrears for two to six years.

The outstanding annual accounts of the KHADC were from 2020-21 to 2021-22, JHADC from 2019-20 to 2021-22 and GHADC from 2016-17 to 2021-22.

As per the Fund Rules of JHADC and GHADC, the annual accounts were to be submitted to the PAG (Audit) by June 30 of each year but no prescribed date was mentioned in the Fund Rules of the KHADC.

The CAG said that persistent delay in the finalization of accounts is fraught with the risk of fraud and leakage of public money going undetected. It recommended that the state government may advise the ADCs to finalise the arrear accounts and submit them to the Principal Accountant General (Audit).