SHILLONG:
Trinamool Congress leaders, on May 19, have expressed satisfaction with the presentation given by the state government on the implementation of the roster system in the state and said that they will wait for the final decision on the matter once everyone, including stakeholders, is taken on board.
“We had our doubts and queries. This was the best kind of positioning considering the kind of data the state has and the 50 years’ (period). If roster is to be put in place, this is the best way forward. Whatever the decision, the government will give its final presentation and discussion will once again be held. And with the setting up of the committee, it will further give us a platform to raise our concern,” TMC leader George Lyngdoh said.
When asked about the reservation policy, Lyngdoh said, “We did not discuss the reservation policy. The roster will be based on the reservation policy… we demanded for prospective (implementation of roster); the retrospective manner would be just to understand the various positions of various posts across all departments, but recruitments are to be done prospectively and that was our demand; that will be done also.”
Meanwhile, former Rangkasona MLA and TMC leader Zenith Sangma said that they have apprised the government the need to create more job opportunities because, according to him, all these problems and chaos started because of lack of jobs.
Furthermore, TMC leaders had also raised concerns regarding the application of roster on educational seats. “The roster will not apply to educations applications; we had put it forward and the government has clarified that for Higher and Technical seats, only the reservation policy will be put in place not the roster,” Lyngdoh said.
When asked about the cut-off year, the former Umroi legislator said, “See, there are two sets of departments; one where we find the data is ready and roster ready – that means, once positions are in place without looking at the appointments done in the past, everything will be done with effect from the date the department was roster ready and the matter to be taken forward. And there are departments that are not roster ready, we urge the government to speed up the process based on data available.”
Asserting that the roster is needed to keep track of the implementation of the reservation policy, as mandated by the law, TMC Meghalaya said that while the roster is being implemented, the party wants all stakeholders to be taken on board.