Shillong, July 16: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Meghalaya Assembly on Monday pulled up the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for failing to implement the Rs 200 crore funded by cement giant Lafarge Umiam Mining Pvt Ltd.

The Lafarge Umiam Mining Pvt Ltd has been funding for socio-economic development of areas within the 50 km radius of the mining site at Nongtrai-Shella in East Khasi Hills District and the SPV Committee headed by the chief secretary was constituted as per the ruling of the Supreme Court for implementing various developmental schemes in these areas.

The chief secretary, Y Tsering, who was present at the PAC meeting assured that the committee will be called and these projects will be placed again for consideration.

At Rs 90 per metric ton, the company is funding the SPV for various developmental activities in the area which comes to around Rs 18 crore per annum.

Around 53 villages falling under the two constituencies – Shella and Mawsynram are beneficiaries of the fund.

The Lafarge Umiam Mining Pvt Ltd is exporting 2 million tonnes of limestone to its cement factory at Chattak in Bangladesh through a 17 km-long cross-border conveyor belt.

PAC chairman and senior Congress leader, Charles Pyngrope told reporters after the meeting that from the records available, the amount received by the SPV committee from 2010-11 till 2018-19 was Rs 167 crore.

The SPV also earned interest of about Rs 34 crore (as they could not utilize the fund.

PAC members during the meeting felt that there was a delay in implementing schemes which would have benefited the people of the area and sought a clarification as to why the amount has been lying unspent.

The PAC was of the opinion that the amount was supposed to be utilized for the purpose of welfare projects as mandated by the Supreme Court which includes development of health, education, economy irrigation, agriculture for the local community and welfare of tribals.

“The fund is coming every year from Lafarge and the same cannot be diverted to other parts of the state. With this amount, over 50 villages around the project area could be developed with all basic infrastructure,” the PAC chairman said.

PAC member and Congress MLA from Mawsynram, Himalaya M Shangpliang said that the PAC expressed its concern as the money was getting accumulated since funds raised from Lafarge have not gone for the welfare of the people.

“More than Rs 200 crore is lying with the SPV and yet they are sitting idle. Therefore the PAC would like to see that the money is utilized meaningfully for the welfare and benefit of the people,” Shangpliang said.

“I told them that if there is a delay in releasing the second installment, it could lead to disappearance of the projects, meaning the areca nut which they considered Rs 2.5 lakh per beneficiary, was released only Rs 1.25 lakh, and the rest is yet to be released. How will it benefit the farmers if the SPV does not release the amount?” the Mawsynram MLA asked.