Assam: Rs 47.29-crore Karbi Anglong road gets nod

Fund utilization: BTC, DHATC face ire from MDoNER

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Even as the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) recommended for DPR approval a road project in Karbi Anglong worth Rs 47.29 crore, the ministry also expressed concern over low utilization of central funds by the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). MDoNER also stated its unhappiness over the below-target expenditure by the Dima Hasao Autonomous Territorial Council (DHATC).

These developments came to light in an office memorandum of MDoNER regarding the 58th meeting of the Empowered Inter-Ministerial Committee (EIMC) of Special Development Packages (SDPs) held in New Delhi recently.

Funds under SDPs are only meant for three councils in Assam – BTC, DHATC and Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council (KAATC).

In the last EIMC meeting, the construction of a road from the 5th km of DLHS Road to Lankaijan in the Karbi Anglong district, with an approved cost of Rs 47.29 crore, was recommended for DPR approval. During the EIMC meeting, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), the Department of Rural Development and NITI Aayog extended support for the road project.

The EIMC, in the same meeting, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the low utilization of SDP funds by BTC and DHATC. The minutes of the EIMC meeting stated, “While reviewing the outlay, it was observed that BTC has a balance outlay of Rs. 74.17 crore. T&D (Transformation and Development) Department, Government of Assam, was requested to expedite the new proposals as per their available balance outlay. While reviewing the expenditure, it was observed that expenditure made by the BTC and DHATC are not as per targets. The T&D Department, Government of Assam, was requested to expedite the completion of the ongoing projects. They were also requested to send the demand requests as per the expenditure plans, especially under the BTC and DHATC.”

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