Shillong, May 20: Deputy Chief Minister in-charge District Council Affairs (DCA) Prestone Tynsong on Tuesday said the urban affairs department has been entrusted with the task to come up with solution to ensure district council constituencies falling under urban areas are eligible for implementation of the Tied and Untied grants sanctioned under the 15th Finance Commission.
Speaking to reporters, Tynsong said that the decision was taken after convening a meeting with all the three autonomous district councils (ADCs) – KHADC, JHADC and GHADC following the challenges faced by constituencies falling under the urban areas.
“We have decided that the urban affairs department is entrusted (with the task) to work out if something can be done or urban area MDC constituencies in the entire state where they will also be able to get Tied or Untied fund as recommended by the 15th FC,” he informed adding “I have already told the commissioner & secretary of DCA to be in touch with all the three ADCs and I am very sure we will be able to implement this same scheme even in the urban areas from now on.”
Asked, Tynsong said, “No time frame (was given) but we already told them to work out at the earliest possible so that they can participate as you knew well the 15th FC will end up to March 2026. We are left with only a few months from now. We already told them to work out immediately and ensure that urban areas elected representatives are also entitled to get this scheme, which is recommended by the 15th FC.”
The deputy chief minister said that the problem has arisen after a separate portal was created for the implementation of such schemes.
“Earlier in the absence of a portal, there were schemes sanctioned for ADCs and they accordingly distributed the scheme among all the 29 MDCS without the question of urban or rural areas. But after creation of the portal, the portal does not accept areas not falling under the list of rural categories.
Therefore, we have discussed this issue today,” he stated.
According to him, there are 5-6 constituencies in all three ADCs, which are falling under urban areas.
