Shillong, Aug 27: The state government has proposed an additional amount of Rs 5 crore for conducting the LiDAR Aerial Survey of the six remaining areas of difference between Meghalaya and Assam.
This was proposed in the List of Supplementary Demands for Grants and Supplementary Appropriation for 2024-2025 tabled in the Assembly during the first day of the autumn session on August 23, 2024.
“The additional amount of Rs 5,00,00,000 is required for conducting the LiDAR Aerial Survey of the six remaining areas of difference between Meghalaya and Assam as there is no budget provision under 50-Other Charges for the current financial year 2024-25. Hence, the supplementary demand,” it said.
The second phase talks on inter-state boundary dispute to find solution in the six remaining areas – Langpih, Nongwah-Mawtamur, Deshdoomreah Block-I, Block-II and Khanduli-Psiar may take place after the autumn session, sources said.
On July 10, the submission of report by the three Regional Committees on inter-state boundary issue to the state government has been extended till September 30.
Both Meghalaya and Assam governments had constituted three respective Regional Committees headed by senior cabinet ministers along with MLAs and other officials as members for the remaining six areas of differences. These Regional Committees have been tasked to conduct joint visits to the six areas of differences as part of the exercise to resolve the boundary dispute.
The criteria to be followed will be based on the five mutually agreed principles which include historical perspective, ethnicity of local population, contiguity with the boundary, people’s will and administrative convenience as the yardsticks.