Departments

CADC’s Interim Budget 2012-13 placed

Kamalanagar, March 28 : Chakma Autonomous District Council’s interim Budget for the coming fiscal year 2012-13 has been placed today in the August House of the Council.

Rs.470.00 Lakhs under Plan sector and Rs.953.00 lakhs under Non-Plan sector were earmarked for the first four months of the fiscal year i.e. from April-July’ 2012. The allocation made under Non-Plan sector is 33.33% of the presently allocated total amount for Chakma Autonomous District Council, under Normal Grant-in-aid by the State Government. However, the Hon’ble Chief Executive Member, CADC in his Budget speech remarked that the alloted amount of Rs.2858.00 Lakhs for the current years fiscal budget under Normal Grant-in-aid (Non-Plan) is not sufficient to meet the whole fiscal year’s requirement for Salary, if the revised Rules for Councillors Salary & Allowences is to be implemented.

While, the Budget also made a projection for collection of Local Revenues of Rs.98.70 Lakhs against the previous year’s collection of Rs.89.62 Lakhs.

The Hon’ble Chief Executive member in his budget speech informed the House about the Council being empowered to take up developmental schemes under Plan sector with the recently entrusted Deparments of Urban Development & Poverty Alleviation and Minor Irrigation.

The Budget Session was ajourned at 12:15 till Friday and the next sitting was announced to be on Monday.

Winter Session held in CADC

Kamalanagar, the 30th Nov. 2011: Chakma Autonomous District Council had its Winter Session held today.

Amongst the various issues raised in the House, the issue of recent enhancement of power of the Autonomous District Council dominated. The opposition has been all loathe about the Notification of the Government of Mizoram. They feel that it has fallen far short of expectation considering the recommendation made by the Administrative Reform Commission constituted in 2005 where it has been envisaged for more power under 3(a) and 3(b) of the Sixth Schedule to Constitution of India. The Chief Executive Member Sri Kali Kumar Tongchangya countered the opposition while giving credit to the Congress Government in the State led by Pu Lalthanhawla who has been kind enough to promote the interest of the Councils.

GCI sheets distributed to the poor

Kamalanagar the 19th April’ 2011: Chakma Autonomous District Council witnessed yet another pro-poor people programme of the Government. GCI Sheets for roofing have been distributed to the rural poors as part of the Rural Housing Programme at Kamalanagar under RD Block, Chawngte.

Some 101 beneficiaries were selected under the Programme, from different villages of CADC. There are 69 Village Councils under CADC. Each of the packages contained 32 numbers of GCI Sheets measuring 9 feet.

Shri Nirupam Chakma, Hon’ble local MLA did the honour to give out the sheets to the beneficiaries. While he expressed his happiness about the Programme, he requested all the beneficiaries to make use of the sheets only for the purpose they were meant for and refrain from selling them for money.

Providing proper housing to the rural population has been one of the pet projects of the present Executive Committee of CADC. Since assuming power in 2008, it has been one of the areas which have received so much of attention from the Government. During 2007-08 as many as 153 households were given Rs.40,000.00 each under this programme of rural housing. Again, during 2009-2010 some 36 households were covered under the programme. Fund provisions for these were made under BRGF.

Shri K K Tong, Hon’ble CEM, CADC today, in his address to people declared that fund provision, for rural housing, under MSDP have been made to benefit as many as 750 families under the whole Lawngtlai District. ‘This apart’ he stated, ‘a petition to His Excellency, the Governor of Mizoram, for fund provision of Rs.4 crores for rural housing has received positive recommendation’.

Besides, today, some 81 villages and sub-villages were given 10 buckets each under MGNREGA for carrying drinking water to the worksite.

CADC Budget (2011-2012) Session concluded

Kamalanagar, 1st April’ 2011: The Chakma Autonomous District Council Budget Session’ 2011 continued into its Second and final sitting. Today’s lists of business, taken up in the sitting, were Discussion and Voting on the Budget Estimate of Rs. 3,840.38 lakhs, discussion and voting on the Supplementary Demand, 2010-2011 to the tune of Rs. Rs.913.20 lakhs and placing of reports of the Audit Committee of CADC on the Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India for the year 31 March, 2005.

In the morning session of the day, the fund allocation made in the Budget, under different heads were discussed and debated for a long two and half hours before it got passed unanimously. During the course of the discussion the opposition voiced their concern regarding the adoption of the RTE Act 2009 in totality. They opined that under such circumstances, the Council’s powers on matter relating to Primary and Middle school education may get diluted. The power conferred under the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India, empowers the Council to legislate on matters relating to Primary and Middle School education.

The opposition also raised the issue of overlapping of fund allocation for the same work due to sourcing of funds from different sources. While the Chief Executive Member, Chakma Autonomous District Council assured them that to avoid such unwanted occurrences, the High Power Committee in the State shall be intimated and notified.

During the discussion on the Supplementary Demand, it has been suggested by the opposition, to study the head of accounts being enjoyed by members in the State Assembly under the Member Privilege Rule, so that they can be replicated here in the Council as per convenience for the benefit of the councilors. Finally, this year’s Budget Session got concluded with voting on the Supplementary Demand and the CADC Audit Committee Report, favourably.

CEM lays foundation stone for Cultural Hall-cum-Museum, CADC

Kamalanagar, 29th March’ 2011: The Hon’ble Chief Executive Member, Chakma Autonomous District Council, Shri K. K. Tongchangya, today layed the Foundation Stone to the CADC Cultural Hall-cum-Museum and to that of the CADC Wel-Come Gate at Kamalanagar-I.

The construction of the CADC Cultural Hall-cum-Museum has been taken up at an estimated cost of Rs.5 Crores. So far no such infrastructure has been in existence. It has been a problem for the authorities of CADC as and when the need for organizing/conducting any official programme arose because of the absence of an auditorium. The completion of the structure will fulfill that gap. The structure besides hosting functions/programmes, shall also house the treasure of the Chakma Community, that are on the verge of being lost to obscurity due to non-usage, in the form of artefacts and heritage.

CADC Budget Session, 2011-2012 begins

Kamalanagar, 29th March’ 2011: The Summer (Budget) Session, 2011 of the 8th Chakma Autonomous District Council has begun today. Shri Sushil Kumar Chakma was on the Chair. This First Sitting has seen 19 members attending with 2 absentees.

The Question Hours was served with 4 Unstarred Questions and 4 Starred Questions. It has witnessed a healthy debate with the opposition playing a responsible role.

The Question Hours was followed by Legislation. In the first half of this session, the Hon’ble Chief Executive Member, CADC, Shri Kali Kumar Tongchangya placed the Budget for the year 2011-2012 before this August House for consideration and approval. This was followed by a presentation by him on the Supplementary Demand of Chakma Autonomous District Council for the year 2010-2011.

The Chief Executive Member, Chakma Autonomous District Council in his Budget speech expressed his delight over the allotment of fund by the State Government under Supplementary Grants for 2010-2011, to the tune of Rs.913.20 lakhs. He made it known before the House that the Budget Estimate, 2011-2012 has been prepared with Rs.2,432.18 lakhs under normal Grant-in-Aid, Non-Plan and Rs.22.50 lakhs under centrally sponsored scheme for Local Body Grants from 13th Finance Commission and with Rs.1,350.00 lakhs under Annual Plan sector. A target of Rs.35.70 lakhs is being made for local revenue receipts and thus, the total figure of the Budget Estimate coming to Rs.3,840.38 lakhs under Revenue Receipt head. In the Public Account, that is, in the Employees Welfare Cell the estimated receipt is Rs.33.05 lakhs.

Finally, an official bill, “Chakma Autonomous District Council (Profession, Trade, Calling and Employment Taxation) (Amendment) Regulation”, was introduced by Shri Buddha Lila Chakma, Executive Member i/c Revenue etc. for discussion and voting on the bill. Comments and suggestions were exchanged before the bill was finally voted unanimously by the House. The bill seeks to expand the range of the reach of the Taxation Department. If the bill receives the Governor’s assent, three more categories namely i)Estate agents or promoters or brokers or commission agents, ii) Drectors and iii) contractors/suppliers, would come under the net of the Taxation Department, CADC. With this the House was adjourned till next Friday.

Aizawl Chakma House Inaugurated – 3 March 2011

Aizawl, 13th March’ 2011: The construction of the Chakma House at Aizawl which was started in 1995 with a provision for six storied structure got completed in November 2010 at an estimated cost of Rs.132.28 lakhs. The Hon’ble home Minister, Mizoram Pu. R. Lalzirliana inaugurated the House today in presence of the Hon’ble Vice-chairman, State Planning Board Pu. Lalkhama.

The Hon’ble Home Minister stated that the Centre’s decision to transfer all funds under BADP directly to the councils is indeed a boon but at the same time cautioned that it can also be counterproductive if the councils fail to utilize them properly and force the centre to rethink its decision. Therefore, urged the authorities of CADC to take care not to squander this golden opportunity.

While expressing his happiness over the completion of the construction of the Chakma House the Hon’ble CEM, CADC Shri K K Tongchongya stole the time to clarify reports on News papers depicting Pu Thanhawla, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Mizoram making adverse comments on the Chakmas being a nuisance as being not true. He informed the gathering that the CM absolutely denied when asked about the matter and told him it could be a negative propaganda to tarnish their rapport.

The House stands on an area of 2307.75 Sqm. The plot of land was owned on 12th September 1994. The construction of the House has been completed in three phases. In the first phase Basement-I, Basement-II and the Ground floor were completed. The first floor of the House was completed in 2003. Whereas due to increasing needs for accommodation for officials coming to Aizawl on official works, the building had to be opened for public services without any formal inauguration. The inaugural programme was organized with the completion of the final two floors. The plinth area of the building is 319.10 Sqm. The House has in all 45 rooms with a capacity to accommodate as many as 50 guests at a time. Three rooms out of these are being alloted for exclusive use by Bhikkhus and one reserved for Vipassana meditators.

Bhikkus were invited from Kamalanagar to attend the programme in the evening. Prayers from the Bhikkhus were heard in the evening to sanctify the inauguration.