Shillong, Jun 4: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has sought Rs 1,544.34 crore as financial support from the Centre to enable it to improve its administration and taking up developmental activities.

The proposal was submitted by a delegation of the KHADC led by the chief executive member (CEM) Teiñwell Dkhar before the 15th Finance Commission led by the Chairman Nand Kishore Singh during a meeting held in Shillong on Tuesday.

KHADC Deputy CEM, Pynïaid Sing Syiem and two Executive Members – Paul Lyngdoh and Titosstarwell Chyne accompanied the CEM.

Of this, the KHADC has proposed Rs 300 crore for developmental initiatives, Rs 257 crore for urban management and establishment of town committees, Rs 250 crore for administration, and Rs 161.34 crore for construction of new KHADC building.

It has also sought Rs 62.95 crore for the construction of town and rural markets, Rs 77 crore for protection of forest and environment, Rs 89 crore for aqua-culture development, Rs 80 for promotion of arts, culture and heritage, Rs 12 crore for regulation of building construction and others.

In the memorandum submitted to the Commission, Dkhar said, “We hope and expect that the 15th Finance Commission will intervene by granting this Council with an annual lump-sum amount of Rs 50 crore for administrative cost and to take up schemes which are relevant to the needs and general welfare of the people particularly in the rural and remote areas.”

He also brought to the notice of the Commission the sad fact that the Council in its 67 years of existence has not been able to bring about change in the communities under its charge as mandated by the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

“This failure is especially noticeable in the field of empowerment and capacitating the communities under its charge, in the failure of the communities to undertake programmes towards participative sustainable management of their resources,” the CEM said while seeking the intervention of the Commission into the matter.

Later while speaking to reporters, deputy CEM Pynïaid Sing Syiem expressed confidence that the Commission would give suitable recommendations based on the proposal of the KHADC. “We have also given our commitment before the Commission that there will be no misappropriation of funds and to submit utilization certificates on time,” he said.