By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Expecting a clear majority in the hustings, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma on Thursday claimed that Congress has been able to live up to the expectations of the people of the state.
Talking to media persons in the city, Dr Mukul Sangma said, “Since Congress has been able to live up to the expectations of the people of the State I am confident they will give us a clear mandate in the February 23 elections.”
When asked on reported infighting in the party, the Chief Minister, instead of giving a clear cut reply, said the Government tried to address the issues of backwardness and poverty “so that there will not be any scope for instability.”
He also said the Congress-led Government in the last few years tried to scale up the programmes for livelihood, security beside upscaling investment in the infrastructure sector.
“We admit that the implementation of programmes is slow but we will address this problem as there is no quick fix solution to it,” he said.
When asked for a reaction about the opposition statements that the Chief Minister only lays foundation stones of different projects for publicity, Dr Sangma said, “Is it not important for people to know what the Government is doing?”
Reacting to a query about the large number of businessmen joining politics, he said people would judge with what intent these businessmen joined politics.
When pointed out that several militant outfits have mushroomed during the regime of the Dr Mukul Sangma’s Government, he asked” Are these militant groups born in my regime?”
He also said that the root cause of militancy needed to be addressed and the Government was trying to address this menace through its developmental programmes.
Mining policy: The Chief Minister while defending the State Mining Policy said it was adopted after giving enough opportunities to the stakeholders to engage themselves in its formation.
The mining policy came under severe criticism from various quarters including the child rights commission and opposition parties.
“With the implementation this policy, mining activities will be streamlined as clearances would be required from various departments like MoEF and other departments,” he said. The State Government is contemplating to implement the Mines and Mineral Policy by this year as the Government wants to give sufficient time to miners to familiarise themselves with the various provisions of the policy.
On not clamping a ban on rat hole mining, he said a small size of miners are following this method while mining activities in the state have gone up.
“It is an effective policy and people need to look at the positive aspects of the policy,” he told reporters here on Thursday.
