Staff Reporter
Shillong, March 10: Five persons including a woman were arrested in Shillong city for possessing heroin. Two operations were conducted at Lower Mawprem yesterday. One person was arrested with 5 soap boxes of heroin weighing 66.46 grams from the back gate of the KHADC office at the Mawprem area during the first operation.
ALSO READ: Meghalaya Education Minister Rakkam Sangma for fast tracking teacher recruitment
The police team also raided in the area of Lower Mawprem Lumsohphoh and seized 20 soap boxes containing heroin of 268.7 grams, 60 syringes and cash of Rs 6.87 lakh from the possession of two males and two females.
All have been arrested and the cases are under further investigation.
“Out of the four, one is a lactating mother. There is evidence of the involvement of the two ladies. They are very active as far as the supply of drugs is concerned,” Director General of Police (DGP) Dr LR Bishnoi told reporters today.
“Syringes are recovered. This indicates injecting drug users is increasing in Shillong. That is very dangerous as it can cause AIDS also. In every raid, 40-60 syringes are also recovered. This is a real cause of concern for all of us,” Dr Bishnoi said.
Staff Reporter
Shillong, March 10: Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma today asserted the need to improve the educational sector through fast-tracking government elementary teachers recruitment, contextualise State Curriculum Framework(SCF) in the context of the National Curriculum Framework(NCF) and in line with the New Education Policy 2020, as well as capitalizing on the current initiatives of the State Government on infrastructure upgrade, improvement of quality education through the child-tracking system under Vidya Samiksha Kendra and streamlining teacher’s salary.
In his first interaction with the senior education department’s officials, Rakkam A Sangma also informed that the letter of request for exemption of CUET in respect of the State of Meghalaya from conducting the CUET for the State’s under graduates Institutions for the current academic session has been dispatched through the Chief Minister’s Office.
He also stated that the request letter for extension of the last date of registration for CUET to 31st March 2023 for the State of Meghalaya has been forwarded to the Director General, NTA, New Delhi, citing reasons of the recent Legislative Assembly Election which resulted in the delay of State Board examination wherein, several rural-based students are facing problems of applying/registration in the CUET portal due to remote location, internet connectivity and inaccessible terrain challenges.
The minister also made a brief visit to the Directorate of Educational Research & Training and exhorted all the State Education Team to work tirelessly for furthering the quality of education in the State.
Staff Reporter
Shillong, March 9: United Democratic Party (UDP) Chief and former Assembly Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh is all set to head the state’s planning board as its new chairman.
Informing this today, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said, “A notification (in this regard) will be coming up today.”
Sangma also acknowledged receiving the official communication on the decision taken by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Hills State People’s Democratic Party about sharing of the cabinet berths among their respective MLAs.
“Yes, the BJP has written to me and the HSPDP also when they first met me that was the condition and the discussion that took place,” he said.
As far as the UDP is concerned, Sangma however said, “That of course is an internal matter (of the UDP). They have not mentioned to me anything about that (sharing of cabinet berths) but when it came to the HSPDP and the BJP, these discussions took place in front of me.”
The UDP has got two ministerial berths while one each for BJP and HSPDP.
The Chief Minister said, “When the time comes, we will discuss this matter. Yes, the representation of the NPP in the cabinet may be not as much as one would want it to be as you said because the numbers are large but as I said we have certain circumstances under which we have to work and will have to sometimes make adjustments and that is what we have done but we will definitely explore the options that also in the future”.
Staff Reporter
Shillong, March 9: The North Eastern Council (NEC) has come forward to promote ambitious Government initiatives programs Make in India, Smart Cities, Skill India, Digital India and Startup India to create more jobs for young designers.
The creative economy is an emerging concept dealing with the interface between culture, creativity, economics and technology in a contemporary world, which is totally dominated by sounds, symbols, images and texts.
Being the most dynamic sector, the creative industries are providing new opportunities for developing countries to fuel employment/entrepreneurship and it generates income, employment and export earnings. The demand for designers is gradually increasing.
Going by conservative estimates, a total workforce of 7 million designers will be required to meet the industry demand. K Moses Chalai, Secretary, NEC opines that this initiative will open a whole new world for the younger generation in the field of design industry which will benefit all across the North East Region.
An inaugural programme will be held at Don Bosco Technical School, Shillong at 10:30 AM on March 10, 2023, under the auspices of the North Eastern Council Secretariat in collaboration with AMTRON. Asufii Christian College, Senapati, Manipur will, also, join it. This programme aims at training youths with plus two qualifications.
The project's primary objective is to train local youth in the identified areas to acquire the best knowledge as per the international standards to get the best employment opportunity in the world design industry. NEC along with AMTRON is focusing on developing the infrastructure for training of youth in Use Case technologies deployments like 3D Printing and 5G at Shillong and Senapati districts in Manipur to allow optimal use.
The duration of the Course will be Six Month Certificate in Graphic Designing and Animation and the courses are NSQF-4 compliant. A total of 96 students will be benefited from this course (48 Students per location).
The infra so developed shall be used for training of use case deployment for technologies like 3D printing, 5G at both premises to allow optimal use. AMTRON is already in touch with ALIMCO Officials for using these animation labs for using students at these Labs for the digital designing of brochures or publicity materials in Local North Eastern
Languages against payment of stipend to students, using students at these Labs for digital designing of training or instructional videos, 3D Animations in Local North Eastern Languages against payment of stipend to students and holding workshops/training programs (evenings) for the needs of ALIMCO.
Staff Reporter
Shillong, March 9: BJP Mahila Morcha State President Judy Surong has expressed her gratitude to all the members of the Mahila BJP for working tirelessly in the just concluded Assembly elections.
“I thank the central leadership, State Prabhari Dr M. Chuba Ao, Election In-charge Dr Sambit, Rituraj Sinha, BJP Media Convener Assam Rupam Goswami and Meghalaya In-charge Aienla Jamir for actively involving the Mahila Morcha in every sphere of the campaign, in terms of providing resources which enabled us to reach out to women of the state to create an awareness about how central schemes have enriched and eased their lives,” she said in a statement.
Staff Reporter
Shillong, March 9: Cabinet minister and West Shillong legislator Paul Lyngdoh today referred to the four departments - social welfare, tourism, arts & culture and textile – as a ‘single package’ as that they are all interlinked and are priority areas for him.
The United Democratic Party leader also asserted the need for the MDA government to reiterate the demand for immediate implementation of the inner line permit (ILP) while citing countries like Israel which despite being almost inaccessible yet having a marvellous footfall of tourists.
“All of these departments are priority areas and more importantly they are all interlinked. If you look at tourism it is linked to arts and culture, it is linked to social welfare and again it is interconnected to textiles – so all the four departments are in fact a single package,” the minister told reporters.
Stating that his focus would be to optimize the potential of the state, Lyngdoh said, “Meghalaya is so blessed. We however continue to be poor people inhabiting a rich land. Why can’t we be rich people inhabiting a rich land? Why do we have so many who are underfed, so many who are economically deprived, why? God has given us so much, so let us make the best use of what we have and tourism, every single family in Meghalaya should have more than enough because of one single factor, tourism. Why do we say we are deprived, we are backward, we are underfed, how, why, so that is where I would like to focus my energy on.”
On Meghalaya still lacking in terms of air connectivity and other important infrastructures to boost the tourism industry, Lyngdoh however said, “The basic infrastructure has to be in place. So my focus will be to connect the dots. We just need to connect the dots and you get the answers.”
Disagreeing with those who alleged that ILP would be a big hindrance to tourism in Meghalaya, the tourism minister said that getting a Visa to Israel is ten times more difficult than ILP but yet it draws many tourists.
“I have travelled to Israel. It’s so very difficult for anybody to travel and get inside Israel. It is a major tourism hub and destination. Anybody who tries to get into Israel and when you actually are to attain your visa unto Israel you have to do so much. It is almost inaccessible yet it draws so many tourists you know the footfall is marvellous so getting a visa to Israel would be ten times more difficult than your ILP or any other system you want to have in place. It is so difficult and yet people try their best,” Lyngdoh said while adding “Please do not forget that it is so simple you can’t date a very pretty girl if she is so accessible to everybody, she has to play hard to get.”
The UDP leader further asserted the need to push for the implementation of the ILP and said, “It is crystal clear that the ILP was adopted in the form of the resolution by the state assembly and I think that needs to be reiterated by the House, reiterated by the cabinet and take it forward.”
As social welfare minister, Lyngdoh expressed concern over the menace of drugs in the state.
“That is a major area of concern. Our young people are a source of strength and energy, if you give them the right direction and right path but it is like a river, a river can be tapped to become a source of power like a hydro project or power plant but if the same river is not controlled it can lead to flood and landslides so let us harness that energy and once that energy is harness properly our youths will atomically turn away from drugs,” he said.
On the issue related to sex workers, Lyngdoh said, “Absolutely an area that we need to focus on and where I see again coming back to the point I made earlier that if the focus is right if you pay adequate attention this is an area where we can deal with. It’s fundamental that nobody would like to be involved in that kind of profession or whatever you call it. It is all because of the fact that it is because people are being driven to that particular profession because they need to feed themselves and their families, it is not that they are drawn or attracted to it.”
Lyngdoh said, “There are always lessons to be learned in life and whether you take it as a form of self-praise or whatever but you should realize the fact that this is in fact a cabinet comprising of highly experienced and educated persons and apart from anything else I have always stress on the 3Es – experienced, education and ethics - when you combine the three nothing can go wrong.”
Staff Reporter
Shillong, March 9: TMC leader and former leader of the opposition Mukul Sangma said the three opposition parties have to synergize the overall mandate and collectively take issues which are confronting the people of the state.
Sangma told reporters that as far as the question of the leader of the opposition is concerned, it depends on how the Speaker determines because there are certain rules which need to be referred to.
He said at the same time there has been precedence during their time when the opposition was only 7 and there was a notification to that effect appointing a leader of the opposition.
“Remember late Dr Donkupar Roy between 2013 and 2018, he was LO. We notified him,” he said while adding “Let us expect that good sense prevails because at the end of the day, as I reasserted time and again, we must realize one thing that we are all under the constant scrutiny of the people whom we represent and therefore, our purpose is to be in sync with that whole trust and confidence with which people have elected us and given us the mandate.”
He asserted the need for all opposition parties to synergize their efforts collectively in the interest of the people and the state.
On VPP’s decision to maintain a separate identity in the opposition bench, Sangma said, “We have three different groups here – the TMC, INC and VPP. We have our own respective identities as far as political parties. So there is no question of diluting that. While saying so is the role of the opposition as we synchronize and synergize our effort collectively towards achieving our purpose, fulfilling our purpose that is what I am saying and that will enable us to be effective as opposition, constructive as opposition and deliver what is expected through this whole collective exercise that we do.”
“As we have said, we will always be reminded of the trust and confidence with which people have elected us and sent us with this mandate. Therefore, our role will always be guided by this conscience, the conscience which reminds us of our responsibility towards the larger good of the people and our responsibility towards protecting the interest of the state,” he added.
Sangma said that the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) and the Indian National Congress (INC) will continue to meet on the matter. “It is just the beginning, have some patience,” he stated.
Sangma told reporters that BJP had said that there is a need to change the MDA regime and the reason being the issue of corruption.
Also read: Meghalaya Cabinet approves Bill to repeal Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021
“Now issue corruption if they have been so rhetoric on issues of corruption and suddenly they realize that they didn’t get the numbers and surrender, it is not something which is expected by the people nor by political parties like us because with every political party lies a huge responsibility, responsibility towards the larger good of the people and interest of the state,” he said.
“Now doesn’t BJP subscribe to the idea of walking the talk and at the same time doesn’t they realize the huge amount of responsibility that they have being the political party who is governing this great nation and also BJP must be reminded of the fact that none other than the prime minister himself have promised to the people of this great nation that come what may there will be zero tolerance against corruption,” he said.
Asserting the need to understand the responsibility that comes along with every mandate, Sangma said, “Whether you win the election or not but you have shared the votes of the people. Whether the percentage of votes is enough to convert into winning or otherwise but the fact is that people have repose a certain amount of confidence even if the number is not enough to make the party have that kind of number they expected but nevertheless their words were taken by the people, people have believed them that is why people have gone towards their party and therefore, the responsibility of that political party towards fulfilling their commitment lies.”
Staff Reporter
Shillong, March 9: UDP leader and cabinet minister Paul Lyngdoh today said there is a need for regional parties to rebuild themselves.
His statement came after the attempt of the regional parties to form an alternative government could not materialize.
“We need to rebuild and we need to do our proper homework. We failed because whatever unity that was there was so fragile, so there are lessons that we can learn and we have learned,” Lyngdoh told reporters.
On the former UDP president late Donkupar Roy's dream to ever come true, the minister however said, “Well there is a saying that between what is said and done, more is said and less is done and I think we have to try to walk the talk, set goals, refocus and reenergize ourselves.”
The UDP has 11 MLAs in the just-elected 59-member House.
Staff Reporter
Shillong, March 9: The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance – 2.0 government in its first cabinet sitting today approved the Bill to repeal the much opposed Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021 in the Assembly’s budget session, which will commence from March 20.
Three spokespersons of the government – Ampareen Lyngdoh, Paul Lyngdoh and Marcuise N Marak – were also appointed during the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma at the Meghalaya Secretariat.
All cabinet ministers attended the meeting but they are yet to be allotted portfolios.
“As you are aware we have passed an ordinance to repeal the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021. Today, as the session is on we, are going to put it in the form of a Bill (so that) the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act will be repealed,” Sangma told reporters.
The Chief Minister said the ordinance was passed when the session is not on to enforce a particular act. “The ordinance was cleared earlier but now that the session is on this is the correct platform now to regularize the repealing of the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021.”
The decision was taken after stiff opposition was registered from several quarters of society including church leaders and NGOs.
Sangma also informed that the cabinet has also approved the Contingency Fund of Meghalaya (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
He further announced the cabinet’s decision to appoint three official spokespersons of the government and said, “Apart from myself and deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong, we have decided that Ampareen Lyngdoh, Paul Lyngdoh and Marcuise Marak – will be the official spokesperson of the Cabinet.”
The Chief Minister said a full budget will be passed in the coming budget session adding that the business advisory committee (BAC) will meet on Monday to finalize the dates.
“It is healthy (to pass the budget before March 31). It is good to do it as we can start the work and process quickly as now if we go only for a vote on the account then it will be only for the first quarter and then we will have to meet again and so the full budget picture does not come. The team has been working in the last many months to complete the budget exercise which started a long time back even before the elections were announced. Therefore, the finance department is ready with a full budget,” he added.
