Northeast Desk, 1st October: The three Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) of Meghalaya have submitted a joint proposal amounting to Rs 8,877.51 crore to the 16th Finance Commission for the next five-year period. The proposal was put forward by the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC), seeking critical funding for developmental activities and addressing ongoing financial challenges.
Of the total funds requested, Rs 5,042.30 crore has been sought by the GHADC, while the KHADC proposed Rs 2,641.54 crore and the JHADC requested *Rs 1,019.60 crore. Additionally, the ADCs have proposed a 2% contingency charge, totaling *Rs 174.07 crore, to be included in the funding allocation.
The Chief Executive Member (CEM) of KHADC, Pyniaid Sing Syiem, emphasized the need for more untied grants starting from the next fiscal year. These grants, he said, would support developmental activities and help resolve issues such as non-payment of salaries in the future.
The ADCs have also requested funding from various ministries, including the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), North Eastern Council (NEC), and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, to address their financial needs.
This proposal comes shortly after the Meghalaya government met with the 16th Finance Commission on September 30. During the meeting, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma presented the state’s challenges and stressed the need for assistance to transform Meghalaya into a model state.
The proposal reflects the continued push by Meghalaya’s leadership for sustainable development across its regions, ensuring that its ADCs receive adequate funding to serve the needs of their communities.
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