By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Statehood was achieved by stalwarts but looking at the composition of the Assembly, it is inching towards not on how educated one is but how many zeroes one has in their bank account, observed UDP legislator Paul Lyngdoh.
Admitting that policy makers over the years have failed in their sworn responsibility to deliver to the masses, Lyngdoh lamented that “There has been no sustained activities by political parties except during elections.” Lyngdoh was speaking as one of the panel member at a one day long discussion on the theme ‘Social, Political and Economic Agenda for the new Meghalaya Government’ organized by the Economics and Political Science department of St Anthony’s College here on Wednesday.
The former KSU leader has expressed the need for all stake-holders to come together and do their bit in not only ushering in development into Meghalaya but strengthening it in all aspects.
Meanwhile, echoing her views, RTI activist Angela Rangad said that governance was shaping more on the lines of the corporate, with development remaining a mere jargon. “Political classes have failed to stand up and address the issues relating to depletion of the waters of the rivers in the state,” she asserted.
She also observed that development must be accompanied with peace of mind while pointing out that “Funds disbursed from Delhi do not really reach the people in totality.”
Panelists spoke at length about the need to further delve deep into the fact that despite 41 years of Statehood, much was in the doldrums and a lot more needs to be done to achieve parity with other states of the country.
“People still have the tendency to look up to the secretariat for succor which he felt was time for a serious rethink”, Former bureaucrat and columnist Toki Blah said adding that development should be demand driven and not target driven.
On the same note, Shillong Press Club president, David Laitphlang observed that change can only come when everyone stops the blame game and accepts the fact that all are stakeholders and have their own share of responsibility to shoulder.