Tura, March 23: Launching the NPP campaign to return to power in the GHADC elections, Meghalaya chief minister & national president of NPP Conrad K Sangma has reached out to the voters of Garo Hills urging them to be cautious about the tall promises of the opposition Congress as he charged the last Congress Executive Committee in GHADC for the widespread illegal appointments made in the district council and leaving behind an acute financial crisis which has continued to remain a major stumbling block for the progress of the oldest political institution in Garo Hills.
Beginning his campaign in a similar fashion as that of his late father P A Sangma from Adokgre village of North Garo Hills, named by the Late Sangma as Chenanggre or land of victory, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma was accompanied by a host of senior NPP leaders including legislators Timothy D Shira, Thomas A Sangma and Marcuise Marak. The NPP has fielded Edbirth D Shira to take on Congress candidate and former MLA Cherak W Momin.
Keeping the tradition alive, I began the election campaign for #GHADC from Adokgre in #NorthGaroHills like my Father, (L) P A Sangma used to. As we honour him, we recommit ourselves to serving our people. Vote for Sh Edbirth D Shira, NPP candidate in the upcoming GHADC elections. pic.twitter.com/2O9KXV3HRj
— Conrad Sangma (@SangmaConrad) March 23, 2021
Blaming the previous Congress EC in GHADC for the financial mess that has been inherited by the NPP, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma pointed out that the widespread illegal appointments into the council resulted in a massive rise for salary disbursement which in turn created an acute financial crisis.
“From some 1000 employees the figure rose to over 2000 in the GHADC and the monthly pay bill which was earlier around Rs 3 Crore stood at Rs 6 Crore. The Congress is raising noise that NPP cannot run the GHADC and cannot pay salaries, but, who brought the GHADC into such a major crisis? Who made all those illegal appointments, it is out in public domain,” charged the chief minister.
Accusing the last Congress EC in GHADC of encouraging illegal appointments the chief minister said that between 2015-16 over 1000 illegal appointments were made doubling the salary bill and pushing the council into a severe financial crisis from which it is yet to overcome.
“Despite these problems, our NPP-led EC has taken a lot of positive steps to streamline the GHADC, but all these take time. Earlier cash used to be given directly as salary to employees but after we streamlined the process it now goes only to the employees’ bank accounts and it has completely stopped illegal payments or withdrawals,” said the chief minister.
NPP has made various attempts to reform GHADC & we will carry on. Undoing the mess is a mammoth task but we will empower it so it can be self-sustaining. Next stop in our #GHADC election campaign in #NorthGaroHills is Bagabatha, under Kharkutta constituency.
Vote for #NPP! pic.twitter.com/3wxZgFvWMx— Conrad Sangma (@SangmaConrad) March 23, 2021
He also mentioned that in the last one year alone, the NPP led MDA government in the state had released over Rs 25 crore as additional funds for salary disbursement in the district council and this money was released in advance and on credit to help the council in its time of crisis.
“Today the Congress is speaking about reforms to the GHADC. What reforms are they talking about? They were in power in GHADC before us and see what a mess they left behind. I urge the voters of Garo Hills to ask the candidates what reforms they (Congress) did when they were in power,” suggested Conrad Sangma.
Dismissing the claims of the congress about winning the GHADC, chief minister Conrad K Sangma said that it would not turn out to be a reality.
“They will not get the numbers and one must remember that the GHADC requires the support and aid of the state and central governments, which are neither with the Congress,” warned the Chief Minister.
