Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong assures to end extortion in Meghalaya
Staff Reporter
Shillong, Nov 1: Deputy Chief Minister-in-charge of Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong today assured that the department will take steps to end any kind of extortion in the state.
“We are on the job and we will ensure that there is no illegal collection or extortion,” Tynsong told reporters.
His statement came two days after the arrest of the president of the Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) East Khasi Hills District Bless Dkhar for allegedly being involved in illegal collection from overloaded trucks passing through the Umiam Bridge.
Stating that nobody should be above the law, Tynsong said, “Be it men or women or NGOs or anybody, I request that we should not cross the boundary line. Whether you say it is extortion or any illegalities, my request is please respect the law.”
Tynsong said that police only arrest gangs involved in criminal activities.
“It depends on the NGOs if they have anything, let them give clarification because when we make an arrest, we arrest only criminals. We cannot say anything on whether he belongs to which group or which village but we arrest gangs for (their) criminal activities,” he stated.
Dkhar, who was arrested from Pohkseh, was produced before a lower court on Tuesday and he remanded to 3 days of police custody.
Centre approves 2 border haats
Staff Reporter
Shillong, Sept 20: The Centre has approved 2 out of the 18 new border haats proposed by the State government.
This was informed by the deputy chief minister in-charge of commerce & industries Sniawbhalang Dhar in his reply to a starred question tabled in the Assembly today.
He informed that the proposed border haat at Haat Thangsngi in Umniuh Tmar, East Khasi Hills is yet to be approved by the Government of India.
Govt bats for change in MLAs pension
Staff Reporter
Shillong, Sept 15: The Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya (Member’s Pension) (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which seeks to reduce the qualifying years of 2 years and 6 months for an MLA to be eligible to receive a pension, was tabled in the first day of the Assembly’s autumn session held today.
Stating the object and reasons after introducing the Bill, Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Parliamentary Affairs Prestone Tynsong said that the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly has proposed to reduce the qualifying years of 2 years and 6 months as contained in proviso to section 3 (l) of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly (Member’s Pension) Act, 1977.
He said that the existing provision in section 3 of the said Act puts a cap of 2 years and 6 months for an MLA to be eligible to receive a pension. In view of this law, members who have served as an MLA for less than this period were not eligible to receive a pension.
Tynsong also said there are few persons who were members of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly who have fallen short of 2 years and 6 months as required in section proviso to section 3 (l) of the said Act and thus ineligible to receive a pension.
“To enable these persons to be eligible to receive a pension, the instant amendment is being placed. Therefore the proposal to amend section 3 of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly (Member’s Pension) Act, 1977 by inserting a new proviso and by giving it retrospective effect is being proposed in the amendment. Hence, this Bill,” he said.
In the financial memorandum, Assembly’s Commissioner & Secretary Andrew Simons said that the additional expenditures will be involved from the consolidated fund of the State while implementing this amendment provision.
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