Two years down the line, ADCs cash strapped
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 26 2012: Owing to non-release of necessary fund by the State Government, Autonomous District Councils (ADCs), for which election was held two years back, are not able to take up any substantive development work in the hill areas of Manipur.

Speaking to The Sangai Express, some chairmen of different ADCs said, although District Councils were constituted in the hill areas of Manipur in July, 2010 after holding election in May the same year, ADCs are cash strapped and hence cannot work effectively.

Owing to this fact, they added, the ADCs have failed to live up to the expectations of the people.

They added that during SPF-II, ADCs were provided power with regard to 26 Government Departments Agriculture, Cooperation, Sericulture, Art and Culture, Adult Education, CAF&PD, DP, Finance, Fisheries, Forest, Health and Family Welfare, Horticulture and Soil Conservation, Commerce and Industries, MOBC, MI, PWD, Power, RD&PR, Science and Technology, Social Welfare, Small Town, Transport, TD, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, Water Supply and Youth Affairs and Sports etc.

According to a directive of the Government, ADCs must sustain the works to be taken up by these 26 Departments.

The directive mainly mentioned about collection of bus parking fees under Transport Department, collection of taxes of Power Department, hill house tax, water supply tax and forest tax etc.

The chairmen questioned, whether ADCs can survive with the collection of these taxes.

Although, these Departments have been entrusted to take up many works by the Government during these two-year period, the works have not been properly implemented.

They said, Sadar Hills ADC requested the Government to let collection of water supply taxes under Singda Plant.

However, the Government declined the request contending that the ADC must collect taxes only from new schemes.

Informing that ADCs have its own Engineering Cells, they added that these Cells are defunct as even salaries of the staff could not be provided.

ADCs have so far taken up only minor programmes.

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