By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Ending all speculations, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma has declared that the choice of the fourth new would fall on Mawkyrwat Sub-Division of West Khasi Hills.
“We have taken this decision after considering the fact that Mawkyrwat Sub- Division is the farthest location from West Khasi Hills district headquarter Nongstoin,” he said while winding up the discussion on the budget in the Assembly on Wednesday.
While appealing to the people not to resort to agitation following the decision of the Government, he said that the Government is committed to respond to the various aspirations and expectations of the people.
“We are committed to upgrade more Sub-Divisions in the near future. So I do not think there should be any feeling of discontent among the citizens of the State,” the Chief Minister said.
While justifying the decision for upgrading Ampati Civil Sub-Division into a district, the Chief Minister said that Ampati is the farthest place in the State from Shillong.
Meanwhile, he said that the Government has taken the decision to create the North Garo Hills district to respect the commitment of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in this regard.
On the upgradation of Khliehriat Sub-Division, the Chief Minister said that they have decided to create Khliehriat district considering the amount of trading activities taking part in the region.
Denying the decision for creating four new districts as ‘political gimmick’ given the fact that the State will go to polls early next year, Dr Mukul said, “if we had taken this decision last year, we would have faced the arduous task of paying the arrears to the employees. That’s why we have taken the decision this year.”
Chief Minister said that the Government is now in a position to pay the salaries of the staff of these newly created districts.
“We would be placing our proposal before the Finance Commission to award funds for creation of the new districts,” he said.
Later, while speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister informed that around Rs 15 crore would be required for payment of the salaries in each of the new districts.
He also said that the Government has also decided to shift the salaries of some of the existing government post to the Non-Plan money.
“All this while we have been paying the salaries through the Plan fund. We would now be able to normalize these posts,” he said while adding that with this decision to shift the salaries of certain post to the non plan, the Government would be saving around Rs 280 crore from the Plan money which is meant for the salaries.
“The amount which we have been able to save would be utilized in development of infrastructures in the newly created districts,” he said.
NCP against additional burden on new Govt
Rongchugiri legislator James K Sangma (NCP) has criticized the State Government for not revealing the financial implication involved in creation of the four new districts in the State while asking the government not to pass any undue financial burden on the new government that would come to power in 2013.
“The inability of the Government to come up with the financial expenditures goes to show that the government had not done enough homework before deciding to create the new districts,” Sangma said while participating in the Budget discussion in the Assembly on Wednesday.
Stating that the government has decided to create the new districts without having the requisite funds, Sangma said that decision would levy undue financial burden on the new government that would come to power in the State after the 2013 Assembly election.
Sangma also sought to draw the attention of Speaker Charles Pyngrope and Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong, saying, “If Pyngrope or Tynsong become the next Chief Minister of Meghalaya they would be faced with a huge financial burden of creating the new districts which is being imposed by the present government”.
Block Cong hails district status to Mawkyrwat
Meanwhile, Mawkyrwat Block Congress Committee (MBCC) has expressed its gratitude to the Dr Mukul Sangma-led government for fulfilling the long cherished dream of the people to upgrade Mawkyrwat Sub-Division into a district.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the block committee also thanked local MLA and Deputy Chief Minister Rowell Lyngdoh and Langrin Congress legislator Martin M Danggo for their efforts to get Mawkyrwat upgraded into a district.
The Ranikor Block Congress Committee (RBCC) has also conveyed its gratefulness to the State Government for upgrading Mawkyrwat Sub-Division into a district, saying that people of the area had been waiting for this day for the past many years.