Shillong, Jan. 15: Meghalaya’s powerful lobby of traditional institutions raised the pitch for a special financial allocation from Delhi to implement the state’s first “people’s budget”, a Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)-prepared dossier for grassroots development that was unanimously adopted yesterday at a public rally.

Over 40,000 people participated in the rally, touted as the “people’s assembly”.

Parliamentarian Robert Kharshiing chaired the meeting at Smit, which is the seat of the Hima Khyrim.

The event was mainly organised by the Rajya Sabha Grassroots Democracy Advisory Council.

Kharshiing said the budget prepared by the TCS had met with the approval of the traditional chiefs of the Garos, Jaintias and Khasis.

“The funds to meet the requirements of the people’s budget will have to come from the Centre, financial organisations of the country and foreign agencies. It is only a matter of time before the funds are available,” Kharshiing said.

The integrated village development project prepared by the TCS is worth Rs 93 crore and has a five-year term. The project envisages a three-tier development system whose functioning will be monitored by the councils of the Syiems, Dorbars, Dolois and Nokmas.

The emphasis of the development scheme is on the involvement of the people at every stage of its implementation.

The budget provides for a Rs 2-lakh annual allocation over five years for execution of schemes in each village.

An additional amount of Rs 50,000 can be spent on an associated scheme and another Rs 50,000 will be provided for miscellaneous expenses.

The project document stresses the need to establish a technical secretariat to enhance skills and provide technical support in development activities.

It also makes a case for establishing a computerised network of information on the implementation of the grassroots development project.

The budget highlights the need for auditing and accountability through independent bodies to ensure complete fairness and transparency in the traditional form of governance.

“If the people’s budget is successfully implemented in Meghalaya, it could become the model for other states that have traditional institutions which wield a lot of power,” a TCS official said.