Editor,
Following the Apex Court hearing on the minority status to Sikhs in Punjab and a reference to Meghalaya by asking “Can Christians who are majority in the states of Meghalaya and Nagaland be also treated as a minority?’the Meghalaya State Law Department promptly issued an official statement that Christians do not enjoy minority status in Meghalaya ( ST 21 Jan 2015). The statement is a half-truth and misleading. True, that Christians in the State are not given minority certificates but this does not imply that Christians do not enjoy the minority status and all the benefits of welfare schemes. During the year 2014-15, the Ministry of Minority affairs, GoI sanctioned Rupees 4.67 crore to the Meghalaya Government for implementation of the Scheme of Pre-Matric scholarship to students belonging to minority communities notified under Section 2(c) of the National Commission of Minority Act. 1992.
The community-wise physical allocation (numbers of student beneficiaries) are 25,234 (Christian), 1,536 (Muslims), 48(Sikhs), 73(Buddhists), 12(Jains) and 13 (Parsis). In this regard, the Meghalaya Government had ignored the guidelines for implementation of the Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for Welfare of Minorities. Point 7 (b) states, “In States, where one of the minority communities notified under Section 2(c) of the National Commission of Minority Act. 1992 is, in fact in majority, the earmarking of physical/financial targets under different schemes will be only for the other notified minorities. These states are Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep”. Is it not true that Christians are the majority (74.59 percent) among the minority communities in Meghalaya? We expect the Meghalaya Government to be fair and just in implementing such schemes.
Yours etc.,
Marbianglang Rymbai
Shillong-2
Concern for MCCL
Editor,
Meghalaya is a hill state with very few industries. Small scale industries exist like cement industry, beverage industry etc. One industry which is well known by other states and neighbouring countries like Bangladesh is the Mawmluh Cherra Cement Limited (MCCL). The factory is located in the Mawmluh, which is around 60 Kms from Shillong city. MCCL was started on 20 May 1955. It is classified as State Government Company and is registered at Registrar of Companies, Shillong.
The company is at present engaged in the modernization process and it is hoped that once the process is over, the Company will be able to withstand future market competition and be able to grow from strength to strength. The present earnings of the company lies in its superior quality cement as compared with other brands available in the market. The superior quality of MCCL cement and its premier brand images acquired through years of production is a big advantage to the company in marketing its products.
This can be substantiated from the fact that any potential customer especially builders prefer MCCL cements than any other brand available in the market. Normally the factors that make companies fail are (1) Lack of decision making (2). Communication gap between different departments (3) Funds crunch or bankruptcy (4) Inefficient utilization of resources (5) Pressure groups (6) Pursuit of individual goals rather than collective goals The manufacturing process adopted by the Company is through a wet process where the cost of production is very high as compared with dry process. Therefore there is a pricing disadvantage as compared with other companies. Coal shortage has been a burden to the company as the NGT imposed sudden restrictions to coal mining. This led to the stoppage of the production unit. I had gone through some companies like Parle Company & Relaxo Company in Haryana, They established a policy of 6sigma which defines that the production should always be of a good quality standard and also to add more the policy of MBO focusing on the objectives of the Company, TQM providing a Standard Quality Maintenance.
Here the crucial factor I want to stress upon is the Strong Strategic Decision Making policy not a Rule( Rules are a part of the planning process and are fixed not flexible))by the top Authority, and focusing on those areas where MCCL fails. Being a Government undertaking it should rather take top priority for the growth and expansion of the Company. MCCL is a government undertaking therefore the decision making process involves bureaucrats as well as politicians at different levels. In view of this there is a lacuna in decision making which affect the day to day work of the Company especially in matters that require urgent attention and action. Therefore as a concerned citizen, I wish to express my viewpoint that the dry process should be reverted to as soon as possible to enter the market with the potential of capturing the entire market in the State. Hence Strategic Decision Making Policy is to be made mandatory by the concerned authority.
Yours etc.,
Alert Archie Rymbai
Shillong