Shillong: Traditional heads in Garo Hills are drawing a line in the sand. The Nokma Sani Union met in Tura on Thursday to block the use of contractors for projects funded by the Fifteenth Finance Commission. They insist these Rural Local Bodies funds belong in the hands of village institutions, not outside firms.
Meghalaya sits outside the Panchayati Raj system under Article 243M. Money flows instead through Autonomous District Councils based on a tripartite agreement. Village councils and committees led by Nokmas function as the local authority. The Union claims using contractors guts this system. It kills accountability and ignores federal guidelines meant to empower village-level governance.
“Therefore, the tied and untied grants of the Fifteenth Finance Commission are intended to empower these local institutions to identify, execute and monitor developmental works in their respective villages,” the Union stated.
The group demands the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council stop hiring contractors for local projects immediately. They threatened legal action if the Chief Executive Member ignores their warnings. Tura MDC Bernard Marak, former Deputy Chief Executive Member Nikman Marak, ex-ANVC commander Jerome Momin, and GSMC co-chairman Balkarin Marak attended the summit.
New rules now apply to outside labor. Workers coming into Akhing lands must get a no-objection certificate from the local Nokma. These permits last 59 days. Anyone caught bypassing this rule faces a 10,000 rupee fine. The Union plans to lobby union ministries and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to end the current financial practices.
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