Shillong, Sept 17: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council has maintained that it would not accept schemes sanctioned by the Central government through the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

A team of officials from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Ministry of Rural Development on Tuesday met KHADC chief executive member, Teiñwell Dkhar in the presence of Chairman PN Syiem, senior member, Bindo M Lanong, EMs and other members.

“The objective of their visit was to understand the role and functioning of the district council in the state,” Dkhar told reporters after the meeting.

On the other hand, Syiem said they have asserted before the delegation on the need to take the district council into consideration while implementing various schemes of the ministry of rural development in the state.

Asked about the attempt of the ministry of panchayati raj to implement a scheme called, ‘my village my development plan’ in Meghalaya, the KHADC chairman, said, “The ministry cannot implement such scheme in sixth schedule area. We cannot and will not accept such scheme.”

According to him, the Centre should implement schemes and programmes in Meghalaya through the ministry of rural development or ministry of tribal affairs.

In line with Syiem, Lanong said, this is because the panchayati raj is under Article 243 and the sixth schedule is under Article 244 of the Constitution of India. He said the state government cannot accept blindly funds coming from the Centre.

Earlier, former KHADC chief executive member, HS Shylla had opposed the move by the Centre to implement the ‘my village my development plan’ scheme citing that it is an attempt to indirectly introduce panchayati raj system in Meghalaya.

Last year, different traditional dorbar shnongs had also sought clarification from the KHADC on the direction of the community and rural development (C&RD) blocks to form the Gram Sabha committees for availing the scheme of the ministry of panchayati raj.