Limited role for Parl Secys makes them non-productive
SHILLONG: With parliamentary secretaries being deprived of the status of ministers following the amendment to the Assembly rules, they do not have any significant role in the government compared to the chairpersons and vice chairpersons of various boards and corporations.
A few parliamentary secretaries have admitted on Saturday that even before the amendment to the Assembly rules, they did not have any proper assignment from the government.
In the past, though the Parliamentary Secretaries were considered as ministers of state, they were not allowed to go through the files and take decisions.
Moreover, they were also not allowed to reply to the questions during the Question Hour in the Assembly though crores of rupees were spent on them in terms of salaries, perks and other allowances.
With the limited role, they had in the past petitioned the government seeking more assignments, but in vain.
When contacted, Parliamentary Secretary Rophul Marak, who had resigned from the post prior to the by-poll to the Tura Lok Sabha seat, said on Saturday that though his resignation was not accepted by the Chief Minister, he will discuss with his supporters whether he should continue to hold the post.
Marak also admitted that there is no significant role for parliamentary secretaries in Meghalaya.
As many as 18 parliamentary secretaries were appointed after the MUA-II government assumed office in 2013.
It was after the downsizing of ministry in 2004 that the practice of appointing parliamentary secretaries started in Meghalaya.
The 39-member ministry of the then Chief Minister DD Lapang was pruned to 12 in 2004 following the 91st Amendment Act 2003 of the Constitution, which stipulated minimum of 12 ministers for small states like Meghalaya.
Subsequently, those who were not accommodated in the ministry were appointed as parliamentary secretaries, while some got the posts of chairpersons and vice chairpersons of various boards and corporations.
In 2005, the government passed the Meghalaya Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2005, equating their rank and status to that of ministers of state.
The appointment of Parliamentary Secretaries without any productive work had cost the state exchequer dearly as available data indicated that the previous Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government had spent Rs 4.17 crore from 2004 to 2007 on parliamentary secretaries.
In addition to salaries and honorarium, allowances to the parliamentary secretaries include perks for entertainment, conveyance, telephone, house rent, travel allowance, special travel allowance for medical, medical treatment and allowance for electricity.
It was only after criticisms from various quarters earlier this year that a definition in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly had indicated that parliamentary secretaries meant also a minister that Independent legislator from Jirang and parliamentary secretary Lamboklang Mylliem, in charge Taxation, had resigned from the post citing legal reasons.
Later, the Assembly amended the related rule and on Friday, the House committee tabled the amended rule to ensure that there is no conflict with the 91st Amendment Act 2003 of the Constitution, which restricted the ministry to just 12.