Budget session begins on Friday
SHILLONG: The budget session of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) will begin on Friday and the crucial session will take up important bills ranging from empowerment of traditional heads, preservation of culture among others along with different sets of motions.
The budget session will run till March 4.
KHADC CEM P.N. Syiem, while speaking to media persons on Wednesday, said, “One of the bills that the KHADC will table is the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Constitution of Council of Traditional Dorbar Bill), 2016, which aims to unite the traditional heads, chiefs, Raid, Shnong and Hima. We have prepared the bill in accordance with the notification issued earlier to have comprehensive discussion at the Council of Traditional Dorbar to strengthen the customary laws of the land.”
The KHADC has also come up with the Khasi Hills Autonomous Conservation and Promotion of Khasi Social Custom and Tradition Bill, 2016 in an attempt to cement the need to preserve traditional values through legislation, Syiem said, adding that the Bill will have provisions to set up a traditional tribal museum and a traditional tribal institute to teach the people about the various traditional instruments, music, etc.
The proposed museum and institute will be established at the Heritage Village at Mawphlang. Another provision of the Bill proposes to turn the Monolith Festival into an annual affair.
Syiem pointed out that the first edition of the Monolith Festival in 2013 showcased the traditional culture including indigenous food, traditional attire, etc., and added that the Bill would seek to ensure preservation of the culture of the indigenous people.
Besides the above Bills motions will be placed before the House in connection with the Wahumkhrah, Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA) issue, the Government’s amendment of the Meghalaya Services (Conduct) rules as well as non allocation of funds from the 14th Finance Commission to the ADCs.
