Staff Reporter
Shillong, Oct 1: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) today alleged that the Notice Inviting Quotation (NIQ) issued by the Directorate of Housing on September 10, reeks of clear manipulation and systematic efforts to favour some particular firm or entrepreneur or manufacturing unit in Meghalaya for the supply of Aluminium Roofing Sheets to the department worth about Rs 69,65,00,000.
President of the HYC Roykupar Synrem said that the terms and conditions of the NIQ is framed in such a way that it gives an impression that the department concerned is providing an upper hand to someone close to the people at the helms of affairs to bag this particular contract.
The general terms and conditions of the NIQ provides that only Entrepreneur (s) representing the Industries or Units having manufacturing Units/Industries in the State can participate in the bidding process, whether such entity(s) have the expertise or not in such a manufacturing or supply works, remain immaterial, he said.
Further, Synrem said that in the technical bid also, the condition for the financial stability of the Bidder is tweaked in such a way that it will benefits a particular bidder by putting a condition that the required Annual Turnover of such a Bidder or its Local representative is put at an amount of not less that Rs 1 Crore only, whereas in the earlier NIQ of 11th February, 2022 for a Contract worth Rs 20,00,000,00, the required Annual turnover is pegged at not less than Rs 10 crores for participation in the bidding process.
“These conditions in the NIQ creates a serious doubt as to the transparency of the whole process of procurement of these sheets and maybe there is a systematic effort to hide behind these premeditated conditions to favour a particular firm or entrepreneur to bag a Contract of a considerable value,” he said.
“We are also apprehensive of the fact that there may not be many reputed manufacturing Units in the State who are eligible to take part in the bidding process, thereby leading to the absence of competitions for good prices and quality of materials to be supplied. The results of which will lead to only benefits a particular Entrepreneur/Firm and at a loss of public exchequer or public money as the Department will have to approve the Rates of such an Entrepreneur/Firm,” Synrem stated.
Staff Reporter
Shillong, Oct 1: Veteran political leader and former chief minister Dr DD Lapang has announced his retirement as Adviser to the government of Meghalaya.
In his resignation letter to the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today, Dr Lapang said, “It is with a profound sense of reflection and gratitude that I announce my retirement from the position of Adviser to the Government of Meghalaya.”
He said, “My journey in serving the people of Meghalaya has been nothing short of transformative. I have seen the state evolve, and I take immense pride in being part of the evolution. The challenges encountered were opportunities in disguise and each milestone is a new chapter of learning.”
“As I bid farewell, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the trust and opportunities provided to me. I leave behind not just colleagues but a family that has stood by me through thick and thin. Kindly accept this as my resignation letter. Thank you for all the memories,” Dr Lapang stated in the letter to the CM.
Staff Reporter
Shillong, Oct 1: The Expert Committee on the State Reservation Policy will hold a public hearing at Shillong, Tura and Williamnagar from October 3.
This was informed through a notice issued by the Chairman of the Expert Committee on the State Reservation Policy in the state of Meghalaya Justice Mool Chand Garg (Retd) to stakeholders last month.
The committee will be holding a public hearing in pursuant to all the representations/consultations/suggestions/comments on October 3, 4 and 5, at Shillong and at Tura and Williamnagar on October 21 to 25, it said.
The notice also informed that the hearing in Shillong will be held at the State Convention Centre from 9 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 6 pm.
The details of the public hearing at Tura and Williamnagar will be intimated at a later date.
The committee has requested stakeholders to attend the public hearing on October 3 from 9 am onwards and to bring relevant documents in support of their respective petitions.
Staff Reporter
Shillong, Oct 1: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) today demanded the state government to institute a judicial inquiry into the anomalies and irregularities in the recent declaration of the results for the Staff Nurse and ANM examination.
Speaking to reporters, HYC president Roykupar Synrem said, “We demand the government to immediately institute a judicial inquiry to be headed by the Session District Judge or retired judge into the matter.”
“We also demanded that stern action be taken against those responsible for such irregularities,” he said.
He said such irregularities in the recruitment process especially despite the introduction of OMR sheets will discourage job aspirants as they will lose faith in the system.
“How is it possible that the name of a person, who did not appear for the examination, is included in the list along with marks?” he asked.
“Therefore, we demanded that the health department should consider keeping in abeyance the recruitment process till corrective measures to address such irregularities are taken,” the HYC president stated.
Staff Reporter
Shillong, Oct 1: Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) today unveiled 30 Entrepreneurship Development Centres across the northeastern region at the “Northeast Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Conclave 2024” at IIM Shillong.
The conclave marked the launch of a landmark initiative to establish 30 Entrepreneurship Development Centers (EDCs) and four Incubation Centers (ICs) across the northeastern states, under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
The project aims to empower the youth by fostering entrepreneurial skills and building a sustainable ecosystem through 30 EDCs and four ICs. It combines hard interventions, like infrastructure development, with soft interventions such as 90 entrepreneurship awareness programs, 90 entrepreneurship development programs, 40 faculty development programs, and various competitions to inspire innovation. These efforts target the creation of 900 startups across the region.
Chaudhary, in his address, emphasized the significance of the Entrepreneurship Conclave and the potential of the Northeast, said, “Our Northeastern States, over the past decade, has experienced resurgence, reclaiming its position of prominence. The government’s focus on ‘Act Fast for North East and Act First for North East’ policy has enabled the region to emerge as a key contributor across various sectors. With improved connectivity and a rising pool of educated youth, all eight states are experiencing double-digit growth, which will contribute significantly to India’s five trillion economy goal.”
The event was aimed towards fostering entrepreneurship and skill development in the northeastern region of India. The conclave included promoting regional cooperation by aligning state-level initiatives with the Ministry’s vision for a strong entrepreneurship and skills ecosystem.
The discussions centered around strategic pathways to harness the potential of the region's youth through skill development and entrepreneurship, with a focus on innovative solutions and regional growth.
This collaborative effort aims to drive sustainable economic progress in the North-East. Prominent leaders from various northeastern states, industry experts, and academicians were present at the conclave, all engaged in discussions on strengthening the region and unlocking new opportunities.
The Ministers shared best practices from their respective states and underscored the importance of creating a robust skill development framework tailored to the region's unique cultural and economic landscape.
They emphasized the critical need for ITI upgradation, planned funding and the implementation of a more rigorous selection process for instructors aimed at maintaining high standards of training.
Recognizing the immense value of local craftsmanship, they advocated for leveraging the expertise of artisans, such as wood carvers, bamboo craftsmen, and carpet weavers, while aligning their traditional skills with emerging market demands.
“I am truly encouraged by the open and transparent dialogue we have had today. It is clear that every state faces unique challenges, shaped by its demographics and geography, but what stands out is the shared passion and commitment across the board. Everyone here, is unified in recognizing that skilling is a common agenda for all.
The Prime Minister’s assertion of competitive cooperative federalism is reflected in our collective approach — we are thinking long-term and strategically, with a unified vision for India 2047” he further added.
Jayant Chaudhary said, “With a unified vision for India 2047, we are re-engineering our approach to elevate our ITIs, embrace public-private partnerships, and nurture world-class champions through skill development and entrepreneurship. By capitalizing on platforms like SIDH and exploring innovative formats like residential learning, we can ensure our youth are equipped for the future.”
The initiative also aims to train 600 mentors and ensure proper infrastructure at higher educational institutions (HEIs). Significant progress has already been made, with center heads trained at the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) and functional EDCs established.
Moving forward, entrepreneurship development programs will help 900 youth compete for spots in incubation programs, with 50 incubatees receiving seed grants of Rs. 5 lakhs. The project also ensures convergence with relevant government schemes to support the development of all 900 business plans.
The Northeast Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Conclave 2024 marks a new chapter in the region's journey toward self-reliance and growth. With a clear focus on empowering the youth, the conclave showcased the commitment of the government and various stakeholders in fostering an ecosystem that nurtures innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development in the northeastern region of India.
Staff Reporter
Shillong, Oct 1: The state’s excise department has set a target to generate revenue of over Rs 500 crore within the current financial year even as it is gearing up to roll out the implementation of the QR code-based tracking system for the different products to plug leakages and increase the revenue generation by 5 to 10 per cent.
Speaking to reporters today, Minister in-charge Excise Kyrmen Shylla said, “Our revenue generation is increasing every year. This year our target is to generate revenue of Rs 500 crore plus. That will be our contribution to the government.”
Shylla also informed that the department is in the process of implementing the QR code-based tracking system to further improve its revenue generation. According to him, completion of the process may take two to three months’ time.
“When it comes to holograms, time is over for them. To introduce QR code there is a process that needs to be done. So for this we have given them extension as we cannot let the product go to the market without any trace and track. As of now the only trace and track we have is the hologram. We extend the period for the company, who supplies hologram but it's just that for completing the process of introducing QR code, we need some time. Based on that, we have extended, and it will be a matter of two – three months,” he said.
The minister further elaborated the merits of introducing new technology and said that there will be no duplicacy of products. “This is because one QR code will be for a bottle. If there is any duplicacy, the onus of responsibility will be on the company concerned,” he said.
He said that the new tracking system would not give any space for illegal activities while referring to an incident, where people are trying to make unauthorised liquor and bottling it.
The minister informed that the department has not increased the rate and in fact the present rate is quite below the rate fixed by the Assam counterpart. Therefore, there is no question of loss of revenue to the state.
“When it comes to this last time I remember there is a practice whenever the neighbouring states increase the price, we also do it and whenever they decrease, we also follow the same procedure though the rates differ a little bit with the Assam as they are a big state and we are a smaller state and we feel that we should not go at par with them. We should always be below them but we try to be close to them also at the same time. That is how we build the relationship with the neighbouring states but this time we could not do it when they increased the price. So there is a slight effect on the revenue to the Assam government and they reduced it back,” he said.
Staff Reporter
Shillong, Oct 1: Minister in-charge Excise Kyrmen Shylla today said the government wants to make Meghalaya become one of the biggest fruit wine producer states in the region.
“We want to increase it (wine production) and we want to make our state one of the biggest fruit wine producers. That will take some time,” Shylla told reporters.
“But it is very nice to see our farmers, who previously use to throw the fruits because they cannot sell it, now they have a place to utilize it by making it as fruit wine. There is huge change and huge profit to them,” he added.
The minister also informed that at present, the department is extending support to the fruit wine makers by giving them a place where they can learn to make wine.
“We are giving them (this) support, but it is not enough (we need to do more to increase the production),” Shylla said.
On whether the government would consider legalizing local made liquor, the minister said, “What is the process to go ahead, I cannot comment on this. The reason is that this is made out of rice so as of now we all know rice is our staple food, so I really don’t know.”
He also emphasized the need to conduct a study on the subject before the government takes such a decision.
“There should be a study on this. After this, maybe we can go ahead if we feel that it can be done. I would love to and by doing that we will have the power with us to do the trace and track so that there will be enough content of liquor or spirit to be added so that it will not affect the health of the people,” Shylla stated.
Staff Reporter
Shillong, Oct 1: The Central Bureau of Communication (CBC) Shillong, under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting today celebrated Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2024 by organising an outreach programme on nutrition at Jaidoh village in West Khasi Hills District. The programme also marked the ongoing nationwide campaign, Swachhata Hi Seva.
In order to mark the closing ceremony of Poshan Maah 2024 and sensitize the public on all government schemes focusing on promoting health, CBC Shillong organised the programme in collaboration with Child Development Project Officer, ICDS Nongstoin, line departments such as Department of Health & Family Welfare, C&RD, Horticulture and Office of the DPO (ICDS-CELL). The focus was on improving the nutritional status of women, pregnant and lactating mothers, and children below six years as well as adolescent girls.
Running from September 1 to 30, 2024, the 7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah focused on issues such as anaemia, growth monitoring, complementary feeding, and the initiative "Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi," while also integrating technology for improved governance.
The campaign highlighted environmental sustainability through the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" initiative, promoting tree planting across all Anganwadi centers. So far, approximately 12 crore activities have been conducted during this Poshan Maah by various states and union territories.
Highlighting the importance of Poshan Abhiyan, the Chief Guest, Shri Evanmi Lyngdoh, EAC, West Khasi Hills urged the public to actively engage in all the activities under the campaign.
He mentioned that the development of agovernment scheme in any village is possible if the inhabitants are healthy and one can be healthy if one is being nurtured right from the time of conception. PoshanAbhiyan is the scheme that focuses on improving the health status of an individual right from its time of conception, he reiterated.
Lyngdoh also encouraged the public to follow the dietary recommendations issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and the Ministry of Women & Child Development.
O.C Nongbri, DPO (ICDS- CELL) stressed on the importance of “eating wisely,” nutritious food available locally, constituents of food, food diversity and the importance of the health of children, women and adolescent girls for a brighter society. She also announced about a pamphlet that is being prepared by their office on the “Constituentsof Food, Meal Plan, Dietary Recommendations,” which was released on the occasion.
The outreach event included various cultural programmes and activities. The competition on healthy mother and child focussing on the first 1000 days, display of healthy and nutritious food by the Anganwadi Workers, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and Self-Help Groups were the main highlights.
A health check-up and Anaemia testing for pregnant women, children and adolescent girls were conducted by the staff of Nongkynjang Health and Wellness Centre under the department of Health & Family Welfare. ICDS beneficiaries belonging to age group 3-6 years, Students of St. Anthony’s Hr. Sec. School, Jaidoh, members of SHGs took part in the cultural songs and dance, hence making the day more alive and merry.
The programme also felicitated field functionaries - Anganwadi workers and Lady Supervisors of two districts, West KhasiHills and East West KhasiHills, for their outstanding contribution towards the uplift in the health and nutrition of women and children in the villages. Prizes were distributed among the winners of different competitions and financial assistance to one family having children, which falls under Severely Acute Malnutrition, was handed so as to enable the family to avail nutritious food to the children.
Rynjah, CDPO ICDS Nongstoin briefed the objective of the programme whereby at the very outset she welcomed all the invitees and briefed the objective of the program. Gopajit Das, Media & communication officer, Shillong expressed his happiness to witness the massive participation of the people in the program and encourage all line departments to continue organising programs in the interior villages so as to be able to reach to the public at the last mile.
The program also had resource persons from the Health Department represented by R. Nongsiej, LHV in which she stressed the main Root of Anaemia, its causes, symptoms & preventive measures. With the rise of Rabies cases occurring in the state, the LHV also sensitizes the people about the danger caused by Rabies, its symptoms as well as preventive measures. She also encouraged all pet owners to be more responsible and get their pets and all livestock vaccinated timely to avoid any alarming health issues likely to be caused by them.
The program was indeed a success and hence ended with a vote of thanks from D.M. Syiemlieh, Lady Supervisor, ICDS Nongstoin.
Staff Reporter
Shillong, Oct 1: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma formally inaugurated the Sustainable Land Management Meghalaya Project (SLM) and unveiled the Protection of Vulnerable Catchment Areas in Meghalaya (MegARISE) for the Umiew Catchment at a programme held at the State Convention Centre, Shillong, on October 1, 2024, organized jointly by the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA) and the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA).
These externally aided projects (EAP) are co-funded by Germany’s KfW Development Bank and the Government of Meghalaya.
The programme saw the participation of about 400 people including community members, farmers, and farmer groups from several villages as well as representatives from various line departments and agencies of the State Government.
In his address, Chief Minister Sangma highlighted the importance of sustainable land management practices that would empower local communities while ensuring environmental conservation. He acknowledged that Meghalaya was endowed with rich biodiversity and cultural heritage, which necessitated a delicate balance between development and conservation.
He pointed out that the KfW Development Bank-funded projects are a collaborative effort that brings together various stakeholders, including government agencies, local communities, and development partners.
He emphasized the need for innovative approaches to address the challenges faced by farmers and communities in Meghalaya, while expressing confidence that these projects would provide the necessary tools and support to enhance agricultural productivity, improve natural resource management, and strengthen community resilience.
He noted that the successful launch of the SLM project and the unveiling of MegARISE were results of careful planning and preparation over the past 5-6 years. The current stage is critical as ground work would soon commence at full-scale to achieve the desired outcomes in line with the established targets.
Shifting focus, Sangma underscored the urgent need for Meghalaya to grow its economy by 12 per cent, with the goal of reaching a 10 billion economy by 2028. He affirmed that the government was committed to ensuring that this growth was responsible and sustainable. While aspirations were high, he emphasized that attention to the environment and the welfare of communities and farming households remains paramount.
Addressing socio-economic conditions, he touched upon the challenges posed by coal mining and the negative repercussions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ban. He underscored the importance of learning from past mistakes to prevent similar issues from arising in the future.
The Chief Minister expressed satisfaction in seeing projects take shape and conveyed eagerness for collaboration with stakeholders, farmer beneficiaries, and rural households. He assured that the Government of Meghalaya would support KfW and the implementing agencies to ensure that the projects are implemented earnestly and expressed hope for a long-standing partnership with KfW to achieve collective goals.
Agriculture Minister Dr M. Ampareen Lyngdoh expressed her delight at hearing the firsthand experiences of farmers, choosing to speak to the participants in Khasi to emphasize her pride in how far they have come.
She reiterated the government's full commitment to supporting farmers and expressed her gratitude for the collaboration between the Government of Germany and the Government of Meghalaya in this effort, noting that Germany, a much more developed country, is working alongside Meghalaya to uplift its farmers.
Dr Lyngdoh clarified that EAPs are designed to improve the livelihoods and quality of life for future generations of farming households in Meghalaya. She highlighted the benefits of organic farming and the importance of discouraging the use of chemical fertilizers, educating farmers about the long-term sustainability and health of the soil.
She assured the participants that the government does not intend to impose changes on their traditional practices but instead encourages them to embrace technology and community-led initiatives, leveraging their traditional methods to access better markets and improve their incomes.
She also emphasized that these practices will help mitigate the impacts of climate change on natural resources.
Dr Lyngdoh called for collaboration between farmers and the state government to ensure a better future for the next generation, protecting natural forests and resources. She urged farmers not to rely solely on the government for grievance redress but to work together in partnership, trusting in the support of international funding agencies such as KfW, which aims to empower farmers by creating or strengthening existing platforms for their benefit. By doing so, Meghalaya can become a model for sustainable agriculture and livelihoods, inspiring other states to adopt similar best practices.
Chief Secretary Donald Phillips Wahlang, IAS, reflected on the challenges faced by the state since the 2015 ban on coal mining, which resulted in substantial financial losses, particularly in royalties. By the time the new government took office in 2018, Meghalaya was grappling with a severe financial shortfall, struggling to fund even basic expenditures such as salaries. He highlighted the government’s innovative efforts to mobilize resources for development, particularly through externally aided projects (EAPs).
Wahlang expressed pride in Meghalaya’s achievement of having the highest number of EAPs as of 2024, crediting this to the collaborative efforts of the political leadership and government officials. He noted that these projects are the result of out-of-the-box solutions to the state’s financial challenges and represent an important step toward ensuring the development and sustainability of Meghalaya.
Dr. Florian Wieneke, Senior Portfolio Manager, KfW Development Bank, Germany expressed pleasure in participating in the launch and emphasized KfW's focus on climate action and environmental protection while highlighting the importance of these projects in tackling Meghalaya’s challenges like fragmented land, limited market access, and the need for better catchment management.
Aligned with the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the projects also met local aspirations for self-reliance. He noted the key achievement of BRDC’s accreditation as an Organic Certification Body, making Meghalaya the second state to achieve this after Sikkim.
Dr Weineke looked forward to the continued strong collaboration between KfW and the Government of Meghalaya. The programme saw the participation of nearly 400 people, including representatives from various line departments and agencies of the State Government, as well as community members from several villages and groups.
Staff Reporter
Shillong, Sept 30: Meghalaya is the eighth state, which has demanded an increase of the vertical devolution to the state from the divisible pool to 50 per cent.
The state government under the leadership of the chief minister Conrad K Sangma has also submitted proposals worth Rs 1.2 lakh crore of grants-in-aid for a five years period during a meeting chaired by the Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission Arvind Panagariya held in Shillong here today.
Addressing media persons, Panagariya said, "The state's pitch was that the vertical devolution to the state from the divisible pool be increased from the current 41 per cent to 50 per cent. Now, this is of course a figure we have been hearing in state after state and there is somehow across states seems to be a some consensus that this devolution ought to rise from 41 per cent to 50 per cent and normally of course finance commission don't really increase or change the shares dramatically but in any case for us it is an early stage of work so we don't know where that is going to go."
Asked if the demand of the states is practical, the Chairman said, "That's a very good question. This is the 8th state and we have heard the 8th time for an increase from 41 per cent to 50 per cent of the vertical devolution. Normally, the Commission in the past have never taken a very large jump (as from) 41 per cent to 50 per cent is an incredibly large jump."
"The only two examples (of increasing are the 7th Commission had done that and the 14th Commission had done that but the general philosophy that the Commission has followed is that you should not disturb the status quo by excessive large amount because that then disturbs the budgets of everybody, Even those who benefit cannot absolved it fast enough but those who lose on account of such a large (jump) meaning it is a central government then it creates a very large imbalance suddenly and that leads the central government to react and response," he said.
He added, "To the 14th Commission, the way the central government then responded was overtime the share charges do not go into the divisible pool expended and also the expenditure on central sponsored scheme (CSS) as proportion of the gross tax revenue declined overtime. So it leads to unintended consequences. So generally the finance commissions have gone particularly in respect with vertical devolution moving only slowly if they change the status quo only a little bit incrementally. Same also goes for horizontal devolution changes do happen but generally incremental but rarely these changes become step jumps."
The chairman also informed that the Meghalaya government had also submit proposals of over Rs 1.2 lakh crore worth of grants-in-aid for five years period.
"Grants in aid come from the consolidated fund of the central government. Those are tricky because currently after the 14th Finance Commission, the devolution out of the central tax revenue is extremely large. So the central government in a way exercises its discretion whether it is from out of its own consolidated fund of India or whether it is going to grant further grants according to the recommendation of the Finance Commission," he stated.
Stating that the horizontal devolution mandates on how the state shares is to be divided among the 28 states of India, Panagariya said, "The state has some very specific suggestions and in particular the state's pitch for larger proportion of the state's share to be devolved based on forest. The 15th Finance Commission has given a weigh of 10 per cent to forest and ecology. Meghalaya's proposal for this esteemed is that we raise from 10 to 15 per cent."
"They (Meghalaya government) also suggested to introducing the new criterion called the rural dispersion of the population, to which they said two and a half to five percent weigh be given and if we are able to that then this will be new criterion as this rural dispersion has not been a criterion in the past for any finance commission," he said.
Earlier, the chairman informed that the commission was very impressed with the chief minister Conrad K Sangma during the presentation.
"The state has given a fantastic presentation," he remarked and added, "A unique feature of this presentation was that your chief minister being who is, he made a lot of interaction during the presentation. He was very engaged one could see the passion and the engagement he has with the state's development. We were very impressed with what we saw. The presentation itself was very extensive. It covers numerous programmes relating to the demography, geography, tourism."
He mentioned that the presentation on how the state has dramatically brought down the maternal mortality rate was very impressive.
"There is a programme under which apparently the state has recorded every single pregnant women in the state and they follow and they have that data on first, second, third trimester etc - it is very impressive."
He said the presentation also highlighted the programme on early childhood development. Unlike other states where in the sports etc the kids get picked up at a later age 15 or 16 but Meghalaya is doing at an earlier age.
It also related to water supply, hotels, colleges are being build, skills and entrepreneurship and overseas placement of nurses.
The chairman also noted that the state's debt to GDP ratio is a bit on the higher side and also the fiscal deficit is on the higher side.
Regarding the presentation on the Mission 10, the chairman said, "Another aspect of the presentation was a discussion on the mission 10 under which the state has a very ambitious plan both the programmes that it wants to undertake and the commitments it has to the people of Meghalaya and the state is targeting to take the GDP to 10 billion dollars by 2028, which would bring its per capita income to close to about 3000 dollars, which is quite good."
Meanwhile, Panagariya said that the commission is currently very much in a state of consultation with the states and other stakeholders but consultation with the states is the major activity of the commission right now.
"Meghalaya was our 8th state to visit. We have visited 7 others. Last time we had visited Assam and the neighbourhood. We have done about quarter of the total 28 states so its still early in the game. We have to listen to all the states," he said while adding that "At this point we have no decision in respect to where the commission will ultimately going to come out. That is something which we will deal with much later after we have consulted with all the other states."