Shillong, Sept 30: The ruling NPP has sought to steer clear of the responsibility for the severe financial crisis afflicting the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), while underlining major reforms in the Council. Despite the recent release of a month’s salary, the GHADC employees are still awaiting for their dues of over 30 months. Replying to a query in this regard, cabinet minister and National People’s Party (NPP) leader Rakkam A Sangma said the problems are “systemic” rather than linked to the ruling political party in the Council. “It’s not about who rules the council, but about the system,” he said. He alleged that the Congress party had left salaries unpaid for 20-30 months before the NPP took over.
Admitting that financial instability in GHADC persisted despite “government’s support” he called for major reforms in the Council and warned that otherwise it would lose the trust of Government of India. Sangma stressed the need for collective responsibility from all stakeholders, including Members of District Councils (MDCs), employees, and local leaders like the Nokmas. Claiming that state government had gone “above and beyond” to support the Council by paying its employees, he said, the balance between revenue and expenditure could not be maintained.
“If the revenue is not enough, there’s something wrong. Maybe the number of employees is excessive. The income and expenditure should be balanced,” he said.
Asked about the potential impact of the proposed 125th Constitutional Amendment, Sangma acknowledged its significance in securing more funds for the Council.
“There is a proposal for funding from the Government of India, and if the amendment had come earlier, the situation might have been different,” he said. Meanwhile, the minister expressed hope that both the state and central governments would
uphold the Council’s role under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. It may be recalled that a three-member committee led by Union Minister Nityanand Rai was
formed recently to address concerns raised by various Autonomous District Councils (ADCs). The committee was formed after a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and has been tasked with submitting a report to the Centre.
Meanwhile, 10 ADCs, led by KHADC Chief Executive Member Pyniaid Sing Syiem, have formed a separate committee to review the challenges facing the councils.
This group includes representatives from the Khasi, Jaintia, Garo, Bodo, Tripura, and Karbi Anglong councils, as well as three councils from Mizoram—Lai, Chakma, and Mara. The Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill, 2019, introduced in the Rajya Sabha, seeks to amend provisions related to the Finance Commission and the Sixth Schedule, which governs the operation of autonomous councils across India’s tribal areas.
