Shillong, Sept 30: Newly elected KHADC chief Winston Tony Lyngdoh has reiterated the Voice of the People’s Party (VPP) and the Council’s decision to reject the state government’s proposal to pay salaries to employees of the three autonomous district councils (ADCs).
Speaking to media persons on Tuesday, Lyngdoh said that after meeting with the state government’s sub-committee, the council will provide its final decision on the matter, reaffirming its clear stance against the proposal.
“The Executive Committee and the VPP have clearly conveyed their rejection of the proposal. Although we have already met with the state government’s sub-committee and will be meeting again soon to finalize our stance, our position remains unequivocal: we will not accept the government’s proposal under any circumstances,” he stated.
Lyngdoh instead asked the state government to release the council’s shares to ensure its smooth functioning besides providing a one-time grant-in-aid to strengthen the council’s financial position.
“I urge the state government to release the council’s shares in a timely manner to ensure its smooth functioning. We plan to meet with the DCA department to explore ways to strengthen and improve the council’s revenue generation,” he said while adding “If the government is genuinely interested in supporting the district council, I request that they release our shares promptly. Given that KHADC is financially stable, we hope the state government will demonstrate its concern for the council and all ADCs by releasing the pending shares and providing opportunities for revenue collection. Furthermore, if the government is serious about supporting us, we propose that they consider providing a one-time grant-in-aid to further bolster the council’s financial position.”
Regarding the relationship between the state government and the KHADC led by the VPP, the KHADC chief described it as neutral, neither particularly good nor bad.
“Both parties are making efforts to align on crucial decisions, indicating a willingness to cooperate. However, the council has requested the timely release of loyalty shares to ensure uninterrupted functioning. A substantial amount of pending shares remains unreleased, and the council awaits a response from the state government after having submitted its views to the relevant sub-committee,” he stated.
Asked, Lyngdoh said that over the past six months, the VPP-led EC has successfully curbed unnecessary expenditures.
On the uranium issue, Lyngdoh emphasized that the council’s position remains unchanged, with a firm opposition to uranium mining in the region.
“Further discussions on the matter will take place once the new Executive Committee is fully functional,” he assured.
