Centre seeks clarification
NEWDELHI/SHILLONG: Though Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma met the Prime Minister on Wednesday in Delhi and urged him to speed up the peace pact with ANVC, the Centre has asked the State government to provide more inputs on the structure of the Council once it is empowered with 10 more additional seats from the current 30 seats.
Dr Sangma, during his recent visit to the Union Capital, had urged the Prime Minister for expeditious finalization of agreement with ANVC in Meghalaya.
However, the process of final settlement will be delayed since the Union Home Ministry has sought further clarity on the number of reserved and nominated seats in the Council as per the draft peace settlement.
An agreement has been reached with the ANVC mainly enhancing autonomy of the existing Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC). The agreement will be placed before the Union Cabinet for approval.
The proposal once finalized will also be applicable to KHADC and JHADC.
The Union Home Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde had assured Dr Sangma that his ministry is preparing a note for a settlement with the ANVC.
The ANVC, which was one of the most dreaded militant outfits in the State, had entered into a ‘Suspension of Operations’ agreement in the year 2004 and the State Government has been engaging the outfit in a dialogue.
Meanwhile, the State Cabinet is likely to discuss the queries raised by the Centre on providing more seats to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council as per the demand of ANVC.
A state home department official said on Thursday that the Centre sough a clarification on the structure of the three district councils which will have 40 seats each as per the draft peace settlement. Out of the 30 seats in each council, one is a nominated member and when the council will have strength of 40, the number of nominated members also needs to be determined. “These issues need to be discussed with related departments and if needed, the issue will be brought before the state cabinet for a final decision before conveying the matter to the Centre,” the official added.