ADCs to consult hill MLAs
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 12 2013 :
To elicit their opinion and standpoints regarding the demands for more autonomy to Autonomous District Councils, separate budget for ADCs, and assignment of meaningful tasks, the Autonomous District Council Coordinating Committee has decided to talk with the MLAs elected from hill districts.
Election for ADCs were conducted in 2010 after a gap of almost 20 years with the primary objective of facilitating development at the grassroots level in hill districts.
But the election was opposed tooth and nail by several elements and candidates endured all kinds of threats and hindrances.
However, after the six ADCs were revived amid expectations and after a long gap, the ADCs have not been empowered to undertake any kind of activity in the field even as official records say that power has been devolved to ADCs for 26 different departments, contended the committee.
Speaking to media persons at the ADC Bhavan of Chingmeirong, secretary of the committee Hemjathang Khongsai recalled that they submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister on January 5 seeking appropriate action within seven days.
Saying that the deadline given by the committee expired on January 11, Hemjathang decried that the Chief Minister is not giving any response.
The six ADCs held a meeting today and discussed their future course of action.
Noting that there were reports about opposition by MLAs of hill districts to the committee's demands, the meeting decided to talk with the hill MLAs directly under the aegis of the Legislative Assembly's Hill Area Committee.
As the State Government has not given any response till date, the matter would be put before the Governor.
If this step too does not yield any result, the ADC Members would sit-in-protest demonstrations.
After this, the matter would be taken up with the Government of India.
In case, all these course of actions fail to bring any positive response, the ADC Members would resign enmasse, Hemjathang Khongsai said.