Shillong, Feb 26: Making a pitch for transparency in affairs of Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) has demanded for mandatory submission of utilisation certificates (UCs) for education grants.
In a letter to KHADC chief Winston Tony Lyngdoh on Thursday, KHNAM working president Thomas Passah warned of misuse of public funds in absence of such system in the Council.
KHNAM cited an RTI reply showing the Council provided ₹86.04 lakh in aid to educational institutions over the past five years — Rs 22.68 lakh in 2019-20, Rs 20.16 lakh in 2020-21, Rs 18.72 lakh in 2021-22, nil in 2022-23, and Rs 12.24 lakh each in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
The RTI response, however, stated that “the office does not insist on submission of the Utilisation Certificate.”
“The very objective of the utilisation certificate is to ensure that public money is utilised effectively and transparently. Not insisting on UC paves way for misutilisation, which is against the concept of clean governance,” Passah wrote.
He argued that because Rs 86.04 lakh had been disbursed in grants, it was critical to know how the money was spent.
“We insist that UCs be made mandatory to eradicate corrupt practice and ensure clean governance,” he said, urging the council to inform the party of its decision in the public interest.
