Tura, September 14: Tura MP Mr Conrad Sangma held Review Meeting in D. Rongjeng Block of East Garo Hills and at Ampati for the South West Garo Hills. The MP emphasized on the objectives of the Disha meeting and the public hearing that follows is to ensure the prompt and proper implementation of the Central Scheme. The next meeting and final meeting for this quarter will be at Resubelpara Block of North Garo Hills.
At the onset of the meetings, the MP expressed his intent to find solutions for any and all problems faced by any or all the government officials. He encouraged the officers to suggest solutions and propose ways in he can help as a Member of Parliament.
To start the discussion for the day he shared how he had followed up on the problem of poor banking infrastructure and had contacted the RBI and the Finance Minister in this regard. Meanwhile, he suggested a 2 pronged approach focusing on increasing the Human Resources of the banks and also expanding the infrastructure through the setting up of Co-operative and commercial banks in the region.
During the PMGSY presentations, he shared with the official how there hasn’t been a ban on the Stone Quarrying and should not be having any impact on the various programs implementation. He surmised that there was now a need for 7 NOC from the various departments which the people need to be sensitized regarding it. He appreciated the proactive initiatives undertaken by the SWGHs DC to have organized the sensitization program with respect to regulation in the Stone Quarrying and the contract management.
He hopes such initiatives will be replicated across all the districts and improvements can be observed in the progress of program like PMGSY in the next Disha meetings. He also pointed out the need for the Common Service Centres (CSCs) to be encouraged and guided by the Department to be profitable by borrowing the successful models of Khasi Hills.He hopes that they can be that be made to be successful enough to encourage the setting up of more such points for access keeping in view the rapid digitization of the all the schemes.
He also encouraged to the PMAY projects to be completed on time. He reminded them to be mindful of the fact that the funds are now pooled across the state. He shared his concerns regarding the backlogs running from the previous year there could be potentials financial constraints that would be faced in future if the projects are not finished and completed in time.
At the public hearing, the Hon’ble MP shared that all the Central Govt. sponsored schemes were discussed with the Officials and felt that a Public Hearing would be an opportunity for them to be discussed with the public as well. Providing the public with an opportunity to air the problems faced by them with respect to the implementation of the Centrally sponsored scheme. He shared how he felt that these hearings are an essential part of the scheme seeing how the schemes are for the public.
At the public hearing at Rongjeng, a Public School master pointed out the delay in the release of the funds for Nirmal Bharat Abhiyaan now known as Swachh Bharat Yojana. The official responded by informing the Hon’ble MP that many schools have not been given the second installment need to get a clearance from the GOI to be able to release the funds. The MP assured that he would request for a GOI order to this end. The Public hearing at Ampati, on the other hand, raised more issues regarding the VECs.
In one matter the Public discussed the need for elections for a VEC president, wheress on the other hand administrative officials wanted to make the scheme function through their offices so that the work can be resumed under MGNREGS. However, the Hon’ble MP after hearing the comments and concerns of both the sides and found the middle path. He suggested that the NREGS work can resume with the help of district officials, while in the meantime also have elections in a months time. In another discussion he assured the complainants, that he would ask the BDO to undertake necessary investigation and resolve the matter of pending work and wages of a 2012 Road work.
