By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: With just a couple of hours left to draw curtains on 2012, Meghalayans are getting ready welcome 2013 with high hopes.
The expectations of the people include the need to reduce the gape between rich and poor, social vigilance to check crime against women, a strong anti-corruption body and better work culture among others.
The Shillong Times spoke to people from different background and sought their views and expectations to make Meghalaya a better state in the year 2013.
Rev PBM Basaiawmoit while giving his thoughts on the trend of rich and poor divide in the state castigated the Government for not doing anything for the poor.
When asked whether he expects a stable Government in the state as rumbling is part and parcel of the state politics, he said that no party or the State Government has any blueprint for the development of the people.
“What is the use of a stable Government if it does not have any plan to help the poor,” he said.
Reacting to a query on the prevailing crime scenario vis-à-vis rise in rape cases in the state, he expressed concern over the fact that many of the rape cases go unreported, adding “a strong social vigilance is required”.
Influx has been a burning issue in the year 2012 and Rev Basaiawmoit believes that influx is evident in the state because of cheap labour. “Almost all the contractors prefer labourers from outside which are cheaper than the local labourers,” he said.
He also said that the non-tribals and tribals should work together and in this way both will be able to appreciate each other.
The Convener of the MSM Micheal Syiem while hoping for a better Meghalaya in the year 2013 stressed on the need to have a strong Lokayukta which will address the problem of corruption.
While giving his thoughts on rise in number of rape cases that plagued the state in 2012, he said the state needs a tougher law to curb this menace.
He was also of the view that the Government employees should be paid on an hourly basis if the work culture has to be improved in the Government offices of the state.
On the problem of influx, he said the indigenous people will have to take economic activities in a bigger way to check influx.
“Genuine Indian citizens and their contributions to the state should be recognized,” he added.
On the other hand, the former Chief Secretary of Meghalaya, Ranjan Chaterjee also believes that the State should galvanize its resources to bring the poor into the mainstream of economic activities.
On the steps to reduce crimes in the state, the former Chief Secretary said that a stable and strong Government should take measures to check the crime scenario in the state. Moreover, there is a scope for improvement when it comes to the plight of women in Meghalaya which is a matrilineal state.
Chatterjee observed that the state needs to open up a bit which will bring in a lot of capital investment in the country like Gujrat and Karnataka.
He was also of the opinion that the State Government needs to be strong enough as on many occasions Government takes important decisions relying on certain private individuals.
“People of Meghalaya have their own strength and certain policy initiatives are required to be taken for capital investment in the state,” he said.
The newly-appointed NESO chairman Samuel Jyrwa said that Government has to play a proactive role to ensure development and schemes meant for the people should reach them if the division between the poor and the rich is to be eliminated.
On the need to improve the work culture in the state, Jyrwa said the issue needs to be addressed right from the top level and if ministers and bureaucrats work honestly, then the junior employees would like to work sincerely and follow the path shown by their superiors.
When asked about the influx and the instances when genuine non-citizens are harassed, he hoped that implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) would be able to address this perennial problem.
According to Jyrwa, genuine non-indigenous citizens are not harassed deliberately and it happens due to the fact there is no clear cut mechanism to keep a tab on infiltrators.
“Influx affects everyone,” he said while hoping that Meghalaya would be able to address the issue of scams, influx from Bangladesh and Nepal and also the crime cases against women and minors.