Imphal, Jul 1: Stirring the conscience of the House, BJP MLA BD Behring today said that despite the huge amount of funds earmarked by the State and Central Governments for the development of the tribal people and despite the fact that the Tribal Development Minister has always been drawn from amongst the tribal MLAs, the fact stands that not even 10 pc of the fund allotted for the tribal people are actually utilised.

The MLA made this observation while the House was discussing the passing of Rs 75,00,25,000 demand for Development of Tribal and Scheduled Caste people.

Elaborating, the MLA said that in 2001-2002 the Centre sanctioned Rs 89 lakhs for the development of the hill districts under Article 271 (7) of the Constitution while a large sum of money was sanctioned in 2004-'05 and questioned where the amount released has disappeared.

Scholarships meant to be distributed to ST students for the year 2004 are yet to be released, said the MLA and questioned why the scholarship has not been distributed though the Centre has already released the money meant to be paid to 34,512 ST students for six months.

Since the first instalment has not been released the Centre has blocked the release of the second and third instalment, said Behring and added that he came to know this when he met the people concerned in Delhi.

Though integrity of Manipur has been the slogan shouted by the State Government for long, the fact stands that the Government has not looked after the needs of the hill people, contended the MLA.

The Government is still mum on the question of extending the provisions of 6th Schedule to the hill districts of Manipur, said Behring and added that the failure to hold the elections of the Autonomous District Council for years is a matter of grave concern.

Highlighting other grievances of the hill people, Behring said that the question of paying pension to employees of the District Council is yet to be addressed to.

Moreover though the post of the Chief Executive Officer of the ADC is supposed to be held by an officer of the cadre of MCS, it is being held by an employee of the rank of an Account Officer, he lamented.

The failure to put the ADC on the right track has made it a breeding ground for corruption, he further charged.

Joining in MPP MLA Dr Nimaichand Luwang expressed reservation over linking the territorial integrity of Manipur to the lack of development in the hills. Nimaichand reminded the House that the TD Minister has always been drawn from amongst the tribal MLAs and pointed out that even in the SPF Ministry quite a large number of tribal MLAs have been given Ministerial portfolios.

The speaker too is from the tribal community, he added.

The MPP MLA appealed to all not to blame the Meiteis for all the ills dogging the hill districts.

Dr Luwang however agreed with the points raised by BD Behring and added that since the question of 6th Schedule is yet to be resolved it would be in the fitness of things to confer all the power of the 6th Schedule on the ADCs and to hold the election soon.

The authority conferred on the ADCs concern only education, forest, health veterinary etc.

But since the hill districts face a number of problems such as power supply, roads and bridges etc, there is the need to confer more power on the ADCs he mooted.

The fund of Tribal development Department may also be diverted to the ADCs.

Pension benefits should also be availed to the employees of the District Councils, said Dr Luwang and suggested that this may be done after making the employees pay their professional tax and LST.

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