SHILLONG:
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, on March 21, assured that the government will take every single stakeholder on board in the next phase of border talks with Assam and that the state government will communicate with its counterpart to start the second round of talks to end the dispute over the remaining six areas of difference.
Replying to the debate on the governor’s address in the Assembly, Sangma, however, said, “I am not saying we will agree to whatever they say, but everybody will be heard.”
“We are hopeful that, post the Assembly session, we will be starting our communication with the Assam government in order to initiate discussion on the border issue as has been promised to the people of the state,” he said.
Stating that the border issue is very complex, Sangma said, “We are working to find an amicable solution.” He added that the government does not want to lose any more precious lives due to the issue.
The first six areas of difference have been resolved through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Meghalaya and Assam on March 29, 2022, in New Delhi in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
According to the chief minister, the border talks were based on the claims made by the Meghalaya government through its report on 12 areas of difference submitted to Assam in 2011.
He said there is no perfect solution but the government will try to find the best to resolve the long pending boundary dispute with Assam.
Drug menace
On the issue of drug menace, Sangma said the government has taken the matter very seriously, and in the past few years, almost 726 cases have been registered and over 1,000 people have been arrested.
He informed that the Home department is formulating a new law to ensure strict measures are taken to book drug peddlers.
As far as the rehabilitation centres for drug addicts are concerned, Sangma said the government is in discussion with different NGOs regarding financial support.
Coal
With regard to the concern expressed against illegal transportation of coal, the chief minister informed that almost 1,701 cases have been registered against illegal transportation of coal and over 200 cases registered against illegal coal mining in the state.
“Therefore, police are doing their job,” he said.
Also informing that systems are already in place for auctioning and transportation of over 32 lakh metric of coal, Sangma said, “We need to realise that every single truck that moves is not an illegal truck. Police have been very strict and that is why nearly 2,000 cases have been registered but there are also a large number of vehicles which are moving with proper documents.”
However, he said that police have been asked to maintain vigil and keep a check on illegal transportation.
Rs 230 cr collected as non-tax revenue
The chief minister also informed that over Rs 230 crore was collected as non-tax revenue in the state.
Stating that the government is taking steps to promote lakadong turmeric, he said 15 units of slicing, washing and grinding for lakadong turmeric run on solar power has been set up and are run by women self-help groups adding the curcumin extraction unit was also set up.
“We have managed to increase the turmeric production by 10 times,” he claimed.
Pension
Further, Sangma informed that the old age pension was never stopped, but is continuing. Moreover, the government has enhanced the same to Rs 9,000 from Rs 6,000, while adding that his government has also released up to Rs 80 crore for clearing the dues to the ASHA workers for 2018–2023 and 2013–2017 which shows that “we care for them as well”.
Language issue
On the demand for inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages into the 8th Schedule to the Constitution, the chief minister said an official resolution was already passed and he has been continuously taking the matter up with the Centre.
He notedthat there are 40 languages, including Khasi and Garo,whose speakers have applied for recognition and there are challenges at the national level. “However, we are examining how we could improve our case and get recognition,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sangma said the government is establishing its own state university which will be a permanent solution for the state to be exempted from the CUET.
“Once the colleges are affiliated to the state university, they will no longer be under the purview of the CUET,” he said.