SHILLONG: Several individuals and organisations including ICARE, TUR, KSO and CASA have come out with a Meghalaya People’s Manifesto which has been shared with the political parties and the candidates.
This was initiated by Samaritan Action for Social Transformation (SAST) and CASA.
The manifesto demands strengthening of community ownership over land and resources including people’s right to access and control over their own land, rivers, forest, and resources including mineral wealth.
The manifesto also demands that the proposed amendment to the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution be halted till wide ranging consultations with the tribal people inhabiting the Sixth Schedule areas are carried out.
The manifesto also demands for a review of the implementation of the Land Acquisition Act in Meghalaya and demands for a stop on all forceful acquisitions till a review on the provisions for exemption are done as per provisions of law besides demanding implementation of Meghalaya Transfer and Regulation of Land Act, 1972, in letter and spirit.
The manifesto also demands a final moratorium on uranium exploration and mining in the State and a cumulative assessment and cleaning up of all extractive mining sites and a reclamation and restoration of the same. The manifesto, further, demands a policy for reclamation of all the poisoned rivers and streams and proper implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2012.
The manifesto seeks resolution of the border disputes along the state and international borders first and foremost through consultations with the people living in and around the border areas.
On the development front, the manifesto demands a review of the Look East Policy ensuring wider and deeper consultations with the people of the region, and also demands a shift in perspective to ensure an economy of sufficiency and inclusion first which gives emphasis to small loans, small and medium scale enterprises and priority to agriculture and allied sectors by way of minimum support prices, incentive for organic and non GM food production etc.
The manifesto, further, spoke out against FDI in agriculture and allied sectors, even as there are demands for water and food security and sovereignty, and review of the power policies.
Improvement and widening systems of communications and connectivity, including rural roads, etc., was also demanded in the manifesto.
Another demand if for safeguarding the RTI from any retrogressive amendments and implementation of the People’s Charter and Grievances Redressal Bill and the Judicial Accountability Bill.
In the health sector, the manifesto demanded for strict regulation of private health care and revamping and strengthening of public health care systems, besides emphasis on maternal and child health care to ensure a drop in the high rate of maternal and infant mortality in the State.
There are also demands for regulation of privatization of education and the need to raise the literacy level in the State and to revamp and strengthen public schools, colleges and other institutions at the block and district levels particularly.