CM highlights transparency in power department

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 19: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today said the Cabinet’s decision to approve a Rs 700 crore tender for implementation of the loss reduction project under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) reflects the transparency that the government power department has.

“Bringing it (tender) to the cabinet is an indication of the transparency that the department has, the minister has where he would like to share the procedure, the process followed, the steps taken in order to arrive to what we have arrived and to allot to work and to move ahead with certain aspects,” Conrad told reporters.

“You have to understand that it is a large tender, it is a Rs 700 crores tender and when a large tendering process like this happens, it’s a basic process or a kind of culture that we follow that any large decision that is there and a decision which could possibly have you know, people could misunderstand even though there is nothing to misunderstand but it has possibility,” he said while adding “So it is always a culture that we try to bring these kind of decisions to the cabinet for the sake of transparency. We are not trying to hide anything, it has been given all the details to the cabinet ministers and everything is in the open for people to see.”

Recently, the opposition AITC leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma has questioned the Cabinet’s decision to approve a tendering process proposed by the power department and cautioned the cabinet ministers if it can be a trap against them.

Reacting to this, Conrad said, “It’s quite funny that Dr Mukul Sangma has questioned why. That means he is questioning the transparency procedure that we are having. If we wanted to do it quietly or if there was an intention then we would have never brought it to Cabinet.”

He said every detail about how many times the retendering, how many times the extension of the tendering was done it’s mentioned out there in the cabinet note and the cabinet ministers were briefed about it about the fact that the government had written continuously a couple of times to the REC and inform them about the different kind of issues that came up in the tendering process and sought their approval to go ahead because the tendering process had been extended had been re-tendered.

“And all the necessary procedures have been followed and only after we got the approval or a green signal from REC did we go ahead with the certain aspects. Of course procedure is not complete yet but certain parts are moving forward and in that process to ensure the transparency would be maintained we decided together both AT Mondal and myself that lets us take it to the cabinet and let everybody know what it is, ask questions about it, feel free to feel comfortable about all the questions so that there is no doubt tomorrow if anybody in the press or public asks us,” the CM said.

“So I think it’s just the opposite of what he (Mukul) had reacted to that. I think the fact that has been brought to the cabinet is something that one should appreciate that transparency is being maintained,” he further added.

Selection of candidates for LS polls will depend on ‘winnability’: Conrad

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 15: National People’s Party (NPP) National President and Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today said the selection of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls will be based on the ‘winnability factor’.

“We have started our exercise and the party is screening a large number of candidates (for the Shillong parliamentary seat),” Sangma told reporters.

He said that the party will give appropriate opportunities to individuals, who would like to apply and contest from the party ticket.

“It will be a democratic process where we will allow people to participate and share their desire to contest and then accordingly we will choose the candidate based on winnability and other factors,” he added.

The NPP chief was silent when asked if the party would field former Mawsyram legislator Himalaya Shangpliang, who recently quit the BJP, as its candidate from the Shillong constituency.

“Of course, we welcome everybody and we have always told everybody that joining has to be not based on any conditions as such. I am not talking about the concerned individual I am talking about in general. In general, everybody joins for the purpose of serving the people and the State and working through a particular party so that is the objective and that is how we would see it and of course, as I said if any individual whoever is in the party would like to apply for the ticket they can apply for the party ticket,” he said.

With regards to the Tura parliamentary seat, Sangma said there is a certain consideration for the incumbent and sitting MP Agatha K Sangma.

“Of course, we have a sitting MP out there and hence, obviously there is a certain consideration for the incumbent and sitting MP. Again as I said we have a full committee that processes the entire ticketing so therefore that process will also happen for Tura also,” he added.

On rumours that his elder brother and former Dadenggre legislator James K Sangma is also eyeing to contest the upcoming election, the NPP Chief, however, said, “As I said all different individuals can apply and we will scrutinize. The process is the same for all so the process will be followed.”

On the other hand, Sangma said the desire is always there to put up a common candidate.

“But we know politics have always been about the ideology and principle of each political party and each political party would want their particular candidate to be there and there is nothing wrong in it, it is similar to what we do as a party when it comes to the MDA, we contest the elections, so therefore, there is nothing wrong in it. And as far as I know, workers of all political parties also be it UDP or HSPDP or any other political parties, all the workers of the political parties would also want to see their party also grow and hence they would want to contest the elections. I am sure that most of the political parties would want to contest and there is nothing wrong,” he added.

If the NPP will seek support from the MDA partners, the NPP chief said, “We will discuss with everybody and then decide. We have not really gone so much into the discussion.”

‘Confrontation’ will not resolve border issue: CM

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 14: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today said issues related to the long pending boundary dispute with Assam can only be resolved through discussion and dialogue but not through confrontation.

His statement came after the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) Laban Circle had threatened to close down the Karbi Hemtun (Guest House) if the Karbi people and Assam government continue to illegally encroach and harass Khasi people in West Jaintia Hills District.

The Karbi Hemtun was inaugurated jointly by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya Chief Minister on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters at the sidelines of a function, Sangma said that confrontation is not the solution.

“We are in India and obviously we have to work and discuss matters and live in peace and harmony. There are challenges, there are complications which we have to work out but it cannot be worked out by confrontation. Solutions can only come with discussion and dialogue, with understanding and trust and hence we need to ensure that we build that trust with our counterparts, be firmed with our negotiations and our terms, find ways in which we can accommodate each other and obviously in important occasions like these, these are trust-building measures,” he said.

He added, “So tomorrow you want to put up a Meghalaya House in Assam or Guwahati and if somebody says well you cannot do it, I don’t think that is a trust-building mechanism.”

“Yes, I am not saying that there are no concerns, there are concerns but to resolve those concerns, confrontation is not the solution. We need to work together to build trust and in an amicable manner move forward and that is what the message was yesterday (during the inauguration of the Karbi House),” the CM said.

Meanwhile, Sangma informed that the chief ministers of Assam and Meghalaya will finalise a firm program related to the second phase of border talks, in the next couple of days.