ADCs agitation looms large
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 13 2012: It is possible that Autonomous District Council (ADC) Members may launch agitation of any sort any time on the ground that most of the ADCs have not been allowed to function fully while Executive Members are not given their full authorities even though it is two years and half since the ADCs were set up.

Some ADC Members, on condition of anonymity, told TSE that a joint body of the six ADCs namely All Manipur Autonomous District Council Coordination Committee was formed last month.

The foremost tasks assigned to the committee are streamlining the functions of ADCs and to urge the Government for devolution of pending powers.

The ADCs were set up under strict instructions from the Government of India so as to ensure that benefits of all development programmes including flagship programmes reach grassroots level, said the Members.

After the ADCs were set up, powers pertaining to 26 departments were devolved to the ADCs.

But the devolution of power remains only in paper.

As such, ADC Members including the Chairmen are unable to discharge their duties properly.

Moreover, the Government has not been releasing funds which should come together with devolution of powers.

Under such circumstances, the ADCs remain toothless to take up any development programme for the people.

The Executive Members have not been given neither vehicles nor the Grade IV staff.

Even funds for maintenance and council sittings have not been released.

Funds for infrastructure development and construction projects are being deposited in the accounts of offices like MTDC.

Such policy of the Government led to loss of 14.75 per cent of the agency charge and contingency charge.

Rather than depositing funds in the account of MTDC and other such offices, funds should be deposited with the ADCs.

This way, the ADCs can survive and they would be able to effectively monitor work quality of all construction projects.

The ADC Members also pointed out that they have their own engineering cell.

Although an order was issued as per a Cabinet decision to hand over education sector from primary level to class VIII, the same has not been translated into action till date.

Except for the 50 per cent of TD fund released to ADCs when Chief Minister O Ibobi was in charge of TD Department, no substantial amount of fund was released to ADCs during the last two years and a half.

In the meantime, people are demanding resignation of all ADC Members for they are getting no benefit from establishment of ADCs.

It was in this backdrop that the All Manipur Autonomous District Council Coordination Committee was formed with the objective of enabling the ADCs discharge their duties properly and effectively, they added.

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