Shillong, July 27: A delegation comprising of Tura MP, Conrad K. Sangma, Shillong MP, Vincent Pala and Meghalaya’s former minister, A.L. Hek and a representative of the Joint action committee (JAC) of Customs and Central Excise Service Association met Union finance minister Arun Jaitley and submitted a memorandum to retain the Chief Commissioners office at Shillong. The memorandum was signed by MPs from all the North Eastern states representing various political parties.
The delegation appraised the finance minister that the chief commissioners’ office had been in Shillong for the past 15 years and the department had already purchased a 15-acre land in Shillong to construct the chief commissioners’ office. At the same time the Chief commissioner office was only an administrative set up and did not deal directly with the public, which is being done at the commissioner level. The office of the Commisioner level, already exist in Guwahati, Shillong and all the states of Northeast. The delegation also mentioned to the minister about the matrilineal system that exist in Meghalaya and shifting of the office to Guwahati would affect the entire family. The Finance Minister gave a patient hearing to the delegation and assured that he would look into the matter positively.
