By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Senior Congress Ministers who were ‘stripped’ of plum portfolios have claimed that their new assignments would provide them with a good learning experience.
Deputy Chief Minister Rowell Lyngdoh, who lost the Health and Family Welfare portfolio he was holding in the previous MUA-I Government, said it was a good thing that he has been given charge of minor departments.
“I am happy since I would have more time to take care of myself. I know it would be tasking for me to handle any major department,” Lyngdoh said after assuming office on Wednesday.
He, however, stated that it would not be right to say that the Health and Family Welfare department has been taken away from him.
“It is the prerogative of Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma to allot portfolios to various members in the Cabinet. I am happy with whatever I have been given. It would be a good learning experience for me to take charge of the new departments which I had never handled before,” Lyngdoh said.
The Deputy Chief Minister has been given charge of Water Resources, Soil and Water Conservation, Home (Passport), Administrative Reforms, Law and Election departments.
Lyngdoh also informed that he had signed a file of the Law department on his first day in office and had held meetings with senior officials of the Soil and Water Conservation departments.
Another senior Congress Minister, HDR Lyngdoh, who was stripped off the charge of important departments like PWD and Home, said that he was happy with the departments which have been allotted to him.
“My supporters might be aggrieved since they wanted me to hold higher position in the Cabinet, but personally I do not have such feelings,” the former Home Minister said.
“I am happy that the portfolios like Home and PWD which I used to hold have gone to my fellow party legislators since this is a Congress Government,” Lyngdoh said.
Admitting that he was used to holding major departments in the past, Lyngdoh said that it would be a good learning experience to handle the new departments.
“I would try to perform to my optimum level and make a difference in the new departments,” Lyngdoh said.
The Sohiong legislator has been given the charge of Transport, General Administration Department (GAD), District Council Affairs (DCA) and Cooperation.
Senior Congress leader and one-time Deputy Chief Minister Deborah C Marak said that she does not have any ego to feel annoyed at being ‘demoted’.
“I know there are people who are raising this issue of my demotion. Personally, I am happy with whatever position I am holding. My main goal has always been to serve the interest of the people,” Marak, who has been allotted with departments like Social Welfare, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Printing and Stationery and Secretariat Administration Department (SAD), said. Marak also informed that she was contemplating to work with Self Help Groups (SHGs) to make Meghalaya self sufficient in animal rearing.
Talking to The Shillong Times on her first day in office as minister, she said that the State needs to be self sufficient in animal rearing and the department will work with different SHGs to achieve the target.
“Why do we have to bring cows, pigs and chickens from outside though Meghalaya has a high consumption rate for these products,” she questioned.
Marak also stated that the department will provide economic empowerment to the SHGs.
“We can also generate employment opportunities for the youths,” she said, while adding that mothers need to be empowered as well.
She also stated that she will hold discussions with the officers of the SAD and chalk out plans to revamp the entire department.
“I have to find out all the problems of the department,” she added.
Meanwhile, a majority of the Cabinet Ministers are delighted with their new assignments.
Deputy Chief Minister Prof Roytre C Laloo said that this is not the first time he is assuming office as a Cabinet Minister.
“For me, it is a normal feeling. I am starting this new innings with the goal of serving the overall interest of the people of the State,” Prof Laloo said after assuming office.
He, however, mentioned that this is the first time he is taking charge of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department.
“There is a need to streamline the functioning of the PHE department. I know this is a very critical department since it is concerned with providing clean drinking water to the citizens of the State,” he said.
On the Education department, he said that the immediate task before him is the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) from this year onwards.
“This is an ambitious programme of the UPA Government. I would need the support and cooperation of all sections of the society to ensure the successful implementation of RTE in the State,” Prof Laloo said.
The Deputy Chief Minister also holds the charge of Revenue and Disaster Management.
Another senior Congress Minister, Prestone Tynsong, also expressed happiness over his new assignments.
“I have started to meet senior officers of the departments which I am holding since the Budget session is starting from Thursday,” Tynsong, who has been awarded with portfolios like Forest and Environment, Community and Rural Development (C&RD) and Border Areas Development (BAD), said.
AL Hek also expressed happiness over his new charges and said that he has a huge responsibility at hand since he has to take care of the Health and Family Welfare department. Hek has also been made in charge of Information Technology and Information & Public Relations.
New entrant into the Cabinet, Sniawbhalang Dhar, said that all these years he was collecting bills as a contractor of the PWD. “But now as a Minister I would issue bills to the contractors,” Dhar said.
He, however, added that he was fully aware that the department was suffering from the problem of paucity of funds.
“I would sit with my officers to see there is no compromise with the quality of the roads being constructed in the State,” the new PWD Minister said.
Asked how he would address the issue of pending bills of the contractors, Dhar said that he would try to release the pending bills depending on the availability of funds.
M Ampareen Lyngdoh, however, was not able to attend her office as she was suffering from stomach infection.
“I am delighted to retain my portfolios. There are many important JNNURM projects which need to be properly followed up,” Lyngdoh said.
The Shillong east legislator will hold charge of the Urban Affairs and Municipal Administration besides being given additional charge of Labour department.
She also said that she ensure that low cost housing units under JNNURM are completed at the earliest.
She also mentioned that she would do ‘great things’ in the Labour department which is a new assignment for her.