SHILLONG, Feb 16 : In their preparations for taking over the charges of the two district councils, the MPA and the Congress are on the spree to give assurances on rectifying their past mistakes.

If the KHADC is known for poking its nose on suspension and appointment of traditional heads and politics of leasing out check gates, the JHADC is known for condemning others and buying of new cars, leasing out of land and giving appointment to the kith and kin of influential people in the office.

The State political leaders did not refute the charges when asked by this correspondent today, but they were quick to say that the misadventure and anomalies would  be rectified.

Senior State Congress leader Roytre C Laloo said today, “Every executive always desires to bring about a change, and our executive committee this time will ensure that the JHADC focuses itself as a custodian of the traditions, customs and protection of the indigenous people’s rights”.

“We are optimistic that there will be a change this time”, stated Laloo in his assurance to transform the JHADC. The JHADC witnessed at least five executive committees in the past five years and it is all due to defections by the members belonging to different parties.

The Congress leader says that the Congress MDCs will remain intact for the next five years, so is the UDP leadership claiming that ‘history of defection in our party is negligible and the present MDCs are united’. The UDP leadership prefers to ignore that one of its member has joined the Congress fold.

Similarly, the MPA members who are set to take over the reigns in the KHADC echoed similar tone and it came along with Chief Minister Dr Donkupar Roy’s attestation that the district councils have been misutilizing the funds and its primary duties being relegated to a secondary position. Newly elected leader of the MPA in the KHADC Dr C Lyngdoh said, “We will streamline and restructure our administration to ensure better governance and to live up with the bestowed duties laid by the Constitution”.

The Chief Minister who was part of the UDP parliamentary meeting, was however, apt in saying that funds utilized by the district councils will have to be monitored and regulated. Roy told newsmen, “Public funds chanellized through the district councils were misutilized and never reached the people”, adding, “henceforth, we will not release further funds unless the utilization certificates are submitted by the respective district councils”. 

The Chief Minister made it clear that the district councils should pull up their socks to live up to its duties as a custodian of the traditions, customs and right of the tribal people.