SHILLONG, MAR 9: Opposition Meghalaya Peoples’ Forum (MPF) on Wednesday termed the recent Governor’s address in the state assembly as high on ‘rhetoric’, ‘cliché’ and ‘goals’ but very low on ‘specific targets’ and ‘achievability’.
Concerns over the failure of the Congress led state government to highlight on policies to tackle various issues which includes militancy in the governor’s address opposition members expressed their disenchantment.
While moving the amendments to the motion of thanks to the Governor’s Address, opposition leader and UDP chief Donkupar Roy said, “It is a beautiful address no doubt but there are many issues which are not highlighted.”
His colleague in the party, Paul Lyngdoh, however, said, “It (governor’s address) is high on rhetoric, cliché and goals but very low when it comes to specific targets and achievability. It is silent on how these goals are going to be achieved.”
Demanding the government to come up with a ‘comprehensive policy’, to effectively tackle the problem of militancy in the state, Roy said, “The state government should identify and target the source of finance of different militant groups.”
He has also suggested the need to strengthen the state’s own intelligence wing rather than depending on central intelligence, which according to him, will go a long way in achieving results in as far as movement of insurgents, which are also linked with militant outfits from other states and countries.
Lamenting on the failure of the government to control new recruitments by the militant outfits, Roy was of the opinion that there is a need to use all resources including students and teachers (in rural areas) to help identifying those involved in luring youths to join militancy. “If we can identify them, there will be no new recruitment and it will be no problem to handle the issue,” he added.
Roy also expressed disappointment over the government’s decision to put condition (abjuring violent) while offering peace-talks to the militant outfits operating in the state including Garo Hills region.
“We don’t have to put any provision but rather make it open by compelling them (militants) to come forward for dialogues. There will be no groups which can withstand if we strengthen our initiatives,” Roy said.
Stating that it is not necessary to wait for the centre’s approval on the issue, he said “Let us take our own initiative because it is we who are suffering,” adding “There should be a clear-cut time bound policy on how to handle militancy.”
He also made an open offer to support the state government if it is really serious of doing away with militancy to ensure peace and tranquility is restored back in the state.
Expressing concerned over the growing unemployment problem in the state, Roy urged the government to find out a solution to address the issue in which educated youths especially engineers, Ph.Ds, master degrees are without jobs.
He has emphasized on the need to encourage the MeECL to take up more hydel projects, which will not only boost the power generation but will also open up job opportunities to unemployed engineers of the state.
According to him, it is high time the government considers creation of separate Engineering Wings in the different departments especially the Education department, besides allotting more seats to students from outside the state to study in the proposed state’s medical colleges, as a means of providing employment to the people as well as generating revenue.
Pointing out that road is one of the most important infrastructures, he said, “The roads in my constituency are in worst condition and such issues relating to roads have been raised till today but the reply we get is no funds, no money.”
“We urged the chief minister and the planning department to take interest to ensure all departments follow the plan objectives,” he said.
On the health scenario, the leader of opposition lamented that doctors who are not sponsored by the state government have to wait for a long time to get into government jobs, despite state facing huge shortage of doctors.
“I appeal to the state government to get doctors from outside if there are vacancy rather than waiting for our own people because it is good to have one doctor from outside and save lives of many,” he said.
He also urged the government to consider setting up of more Meghalaya Houses in places like Chennai and Bangalore while also urging the need to keep government official websites upto date.
Lamenting over the silence of governor’s address on important programme of the Union government for the region, UDP legislator Paul Lyngdoh said an investment of Rs 600 crores for Organic Farming and Rs 1000 for Entreprenuership for SC/ST in North East was reflected on the Union budget.
“We urged the chief minister to reply on how Meghalaya is going to utilize these investments because it is incumbent on the part of the government to ensure that we derive the maximum benefits from them,” he said.
Lyngdoh further lambasted the failure of the Rs 5 crore Safe and Secure City projects implemented by the government in Shillong and Tura.
Referring to two accident cases which has claimed lives of people, he said, “There was absolutely zero information on both the cases when family members was seeking information about the vehicles involved in the accidents,” adding “We also see ATM vandalized regularly and people have fallen victims to rash and negligence driving.”
“Such investment made should be result-oriented otherwise there is no point investing on high sounding projects,” he said.
Stating that the government is taking too long to set up 41 facilitation centres, to address illegal infiltration, he said there is rising crime graph by people from outside while pointing to recent arrest of gang from outside the state, who enter the state to commit crimes in the busy Khyndailad area.
Also stating that Meghalaya is considered to be a soft state, he said, “It is time that the state emulate Sikkim which has effectively manage in tackling crimes because a simple act of crime can have snowballing effect on the tourism sector.”
“It is incumbent on the state government to tell us that it is serious to improve the security scenario in the state,” he added.-By Our Reporter
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