Umroi MLA asks Govt to ensure security of border residents

Shillong, Mar 19: Congress MLA from Umroi constituency, George B. Lyngdoh on Monday urged the government to ensure security of areas along the inter-state boundary with Assam.

Taking part in the Governor’s Address on the second of the budget session, Lyngdoh while pointing out the delay in finding solution to the long pending inter-state boundary dispute, said that talks between chief secretaries of Meghalaya and Assam have been happening.

“I feel there is need for a timeline to be fixed for completing the dialogue which seems to be happening for many years now without solution,” he said.

He also brought to the notice of the House extortions from farmers which according to him, have again started along the Block-II area – Sabuda, Mawlasnai, Madan Umwang – and these villages have been facing the brunt of militant activity and extremist along the Block-II area.

He also urged the State government and the Chief Minister to ensure strict vigilance and strengthen the Mawlasnai police outpost to ensure that farmers and citizens residing in Block-II area are protected in the next few months and days to come.

He also pointed out that with the commissioning of Shillong Bye pass, there have been numerous accident cases and the crime rates have gone up in areas along the bypass, but the entire area is being served by one ill-equipped and small PIC at Khapmara.

“The only police station nearby is Umiam which is 15 km away from Khapmara which is unable to serve 27 km stretch of bypass where there are around 133 villages surrounding the place,” he said.

He proposed that the current PIC at Khapmara be upgraded to an outpost so that police can bear the responsibility and the needs of the area.

On finance, Lyngdoh said that the government has been taken efforts to increase the direct benefit transfer of subsidies and assistances to various citizens of the state, but there was no road map to increase bank network in the state.

“As per data, it appears that only 25 per cent of the villages in the state are bank villages, which means villages are at a distance of 5 km from the nearest bank. It is also seen that the bank tries to set up branches within comfort zones and profitable areas,” he pointed out.

With the increase of population in rural areas, Lyngdoh asked the government to look at the network and ensure penetration of banks should be more into rural areas to help the people.

“Due to long distances, people do not even submit their bank accounts and the DBT effort of the government is defeated,” he said.

On taxation, Lyngdoh said that internet connectivity has been a critical issue for ensuring effective implementation of GST, but he regretted since there was no mention in the governor’s address about the governent’s effort to ensure coverage of internet connectivity.

“We need joint efforts of the taxation, C&RD, IT department and also local mobile operators to improve connectivity, otherwise people will face problems by the time for filing of GST returns as well as smooth revenue collection will not be there in the state,” he said.

On influx, Lyngdoh said that influx and infiltration is happening in the state and suggested that the services of labour department should be strengthened to check influx.

He also proposed to the government to adopt a domicile reservation for citizens of the state in Central government sector offices as well as military and para military so that citizens of the state can avail jobs in various central government offices, state and private enterprises.

“The data should be collected through computerization in a manner that it can be shared to regulate employment of locals in our state,” he also said.

He said that the presence of several Central government sectors/offices, paramilitary has not been of much blessing to the state even though “they have utilized our lands, our water, our air and beautiful environment that we share in our culture and tradition. But likewise, it has not been complimented with regards to employment whether direct or indirect.”

He also said that the services of the Labour department can be utilized to monitor ways and means how to improve employment opportunities that is available in these offices.

Lyngdoh also called upon the leader of the House to ensure better employment opportunity for the people of the state.

“This will ease the pressure that we are receiving from the youth of the state as to getting them employment opportunity only in government offices. The monitoring of employment in public and private enterprises is also important because industries that have been set up in the state seems to cater to employing people from other parts and not from the state,” Lyngdoh pointed out.

Moreover, Lyngdoh suggested setting up of critical care units on different highways in the state that can attend to various emergency cases including accident cases that required immediate attention in order to save people’s life.

He said that by setting up such units along the highway injured persons need not be brought to Shillong or other towns where civil hospitals are located for treatment.