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Assam Govt warned against diverting Central funds meant for Tribal welfare

Our Bureau

GUWAHATI, Oct 27

THE Government of Assam has been warned against diversion of fund meant for tribal development in the State.

Mr Jewel Oram, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, concluding his 3-day visit to Assam, told newspersons here that he was much concerned about the diversion of funds meant for uplift of tribals in Assam and that the Centre had asked the State Government t o submit quarterly progress report on utilization of Central funds, failing which such funds meant for the State would be diverted to support tribal development projects in other parts of the country.

He said that his Ministry, therefore, had decided to provide funds to Assam only against specific tribal development projects to be submitted by the State Government. He said that during the current year, an amount of Rs 25 crores had been earmarked for Assam and the State Government had been asked to submit detail projects in support of its demand for Central funds.

He feared that the State Government was taking advantage of the fact that there was no Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) in Assam and funds meant for tribal development were conveniently diverted to other heads. He said ``We have been providin g fund all over the country under the ITDP through financial corporations for purchase of jeeps, tractors and other vehicles. But in Assam, the fund is disbursed through two agencies both of which are very tardy in submitting accounts''.

The Minister visited the tribal and tea garden areas in Darrang and Sonitpur districts of the north bank to have a first hand knowledge of the condition of tribal and tea labourer communities. He said some of the tea tribes in Assam were not treated as S Ts though their counterparts in other parts of the country were accorded ST status.

He assured to take up the matter with the Centre. He also expressed concern over the low rate of daily wages for tea workers in Assam. He said the State Government should ensure that the tea workers were paid at the rate of Rs 49 per day and granted a pa id holiday on every Sunday. He also said that surplus land of tea estates should be used for rehabilitation of ex-tea garden labourers.