'Meghalaya CM misleading people on central funds'

Shillong, Nov 8 : Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmer's Welfare Susharshan Bhagat on Tuesday accused Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma of misleading the people over allocation of funds by the Centre.

"The Chief Minister is misleading the people. The Centre has allocated sufficient funds to the state but the state have not been able to utilise even funds of Rs 212 crore which was earmarked under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture," Bhagat told media persons here.

The Union Minister said that the ruling Congress-led government has been able utilised only 50 percent of the Rs 212 crore sanctioned for Meghalaya for the last four years.

Moreover, he said that the Meghalaya government has even failed to utilise the artificial insemination scheme of Rs 1.63 crore.

"How can the Chief Minister say that (non-allocation of central funds) but when the state government did not submit utilisation certificate? If the state submits the utilisation certificate the centre will provide more funds since there is no dearth of funds to help the farming community," Bhagat said.

However, the Union Minister lauded the state initiative in the fishery sector and assured that the centre would extend all support while urging the government to utilise the central funds in the sector.