By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Assembly Budget Committee has decided to move an amendment to clearly define the role of the Assembly Secretariat and Finance Department in relation to expenditures incurred by the Assembly Secretariat.
This was stated by Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma while talking to reporters after the Assembly Budget meeting here on Friday.
The Chief Minister informed that the Committee discussed the modalities to be adopted in the budgeting exercise of the Assembly Secretariat. The Chief Minister said in Meghalaya, certain rules have been followed owing to absence of clearly defined guidelines. Dr Sangma informed that certain rules pertaining to delegation of financial powers to officers will need to be amended to reduce ambiguity in the functioning of the Assembly secretariat and as well as the Finance department. The budget of the Assembly Secretariat for the year 2011-2012 has been estimated at Rs 27 crore. It may be mentioned that the function of the Budget Committee of the Assembly is to scrutinise the estimates and budget proposals prepared by the Accounts Branch of the Legislative Assembly. Apart from Dr Sangma and Assembly Speaker, Charles Pyngrope, members of the Committee who attended the meeting include Deputy Speaker Sanbor Shullai, GAD minister A L Hek, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman John Manner Marak, Additional Chief Secretary (in charge Finance) BK Dev Varma besides officials from Assembly Secretariat and Finance Department.
KHADC to issue closure notice to two mobile cos
By Our Reporter
Shillong: The KHADC has decided to issue closure notices to two mobile companies-Idea and Vodafone – by next week following their failure to respond to a show-cause order passed by the Council last year with respect to the removal of the mobile towers from the Lum Shyllong Peak.
Disclosing this on Friday, Executive member of the KHADC, Antonio War said there has been no response on the part of the two companies after the show-cause order was passed by the Council last year. “The Council is being forced to take this step due to the adamant attitude of these two companies,” War added. The two companies in question have been accused of erected mobile towers at the sacred Peak without acquiring the mandatory trading licenses. The Council had issued orders to five mobile companies – Airtel, Aircel, Reliance, Vodafone and Idea – to remove the towers within 15 days of the notice, with the rider that their trading licenses would be seized on non compliance of the orders. However only two companies – Reliance and Aircel responded to the showcause within the stipulated time. Since Airtel – does not have its own towers at the site, it did not respond to the order. It may be reminded that the twelve clans of Raid Mylliem have joined hands to remove all mobile towers from the Shyllong Peak to restore the sanctity of the Peak. It is alleged that these companies were granted No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Rangbah Shnong of Mawkhan without the knowledge of the Raid Mylliem.
70-yr-old murdered
From Our Correspondent
Nongstoin: Unidentified miscreants have allegedly murdered one Jret Marwein, 70, a resident of Sangshong village at Mairang Civil Sub-Division. Family members found his body at his residence on Friday morning. According to sources, Marwein might have been murdered as marks were seen around his neck.
Constable death case registered
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Police have registered a case in connection with the death of a constable Sanjay K Sangma on May 14 last. A senior police official on Friday informed that the Department registered this case after the post-mortem revealed that the Sangma was strangulated. A senior police official recalled that Sangma was found lying unconscious at Police Reserve, Shillong. He was later declared dead on reaching Shillong Civil Hospital. Replying to a query, he said no arrest has been made and investigation is still on.
One held for looting truck
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Police on Friday arrested one Sunil Chettri from Police Bazar for his involvement in the looting of a truck near the Shillong Military Hospital last month. Chettri along with some of his accomplices had looted Rs 30,000 from a truck (AS 01 AC 0098) on the night of May 1 when the driver had stopped the vehicle near the Hospital for rest. Soon after the incident, the police arrested one Pradeep Prasad who was involved in the crime.
Ex-Cong man joins NCP
From Our Correspondent
TURA: Former district president of West Garo Hills DCC and Secretary of Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee in charge of Garo Hills Semford B Sangma has joined the NCP with his followers at Tura on Friday. The former member of the GHADC had unsuccessfully contested the last assembly elections on a Congress ticket from Salmanpara. He fell out with Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma and resigned from the Congress early this month. Welcoming Semford to the NCP fold, veteran politician Purno A Sangma said his presence would further strengthen the party and termed the Congress-led government in the state as working with cross purposes.