By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State Government has constituted a High-Powered Committee (HPC) to examine proposals pertaining to proper administrative set-ups in the newly-created districts.
“Various departments have been directed to submit proposals on the posts required to be created in the four new districts,” the State Chief Secretary WMS Pariat said.
According to him, the Government would like to see that the almost all the departments in the new districts start functioning at the earliest.
“We are also contemplating to use of services of the existing staff in these new districts in those departments which have additional manpower,” Pariat said.
He informed that the Government had already created the new offices of the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police in these new districts.
Four new districts are: South West Khasi Hills, headquartered at Mawkyrwat; North Garo Hills, headquartered at Resubelpara; South West Garo Hills, headquartered at Ampati and East Jaintia Hills, headquartered at Khliehriat. In addition to that, name of Jaintia Hills has now been changed to East Jaintia Hills through a government notification, which is headquartered at Jowai. According to the Chief Secretary, the Government arranged additional fund to meet the immediate requirements of the new districts. While denying that the Government might face a major financial crisis with the creation of these new districts, he said, “The fact is that the fund required will not be huge in these new districts during the initial period.” “We are planning to utilize the money from plan fund for the new districts in the next five years,” Pariat stated. Earlier, the government sanctioned Rs 40 crore (Rs 10 crore each for the new districts) to develstructure in their respective district headquarters within this year. Moreover, Pariat said the revenue collection of Meghalaya has also improved in the last few years. “The revenue collection has seen a 25 per cent from Rs 400 crore to Rs 500 crore,” the Chief Secretary said adding that the awards by the Finance Commission were also quite favorable. In connection with the implementation of the Central government-sponsored schemes in these new districts, he said that at present, the new districts would have to depend on their parent districts for smooth implementation of schemes namely MNREGS and NRHM. “The parent district would continue the implementation of the important schemes till the things are settled in the new districts,” he said.