Home Ministry official to assess status of peace text today

SHILLONG: The Joint Secretary, Home, in charge of the North East, Satyendra Garg, will chair a meeting here with senior government officials to discuss the fulfilment of the Agreed Text of Settlement (ATS) with ANVC and ANVC-B on Thursday.
An official source said on Wednesday that senior officials from as many as 14 departments will attend the meeting.
On September 24, 2014, the agreed text for settlement was signed by the Centre, the State Government, ANVC and ANVC-B in Delhi.
However, there was no progress on various points raised in the agreed text even after three years.
The features of the agreed text include transferring of as many as 13 subjects, including minor works of agriculture, sericulture and weaving, animal husbandry, fishers and minor irrigation, among others to the GHADC.
The text also points out the need to strengthen the existing health, road and communication infrastructure to uplift the Garo Hills region.
The agreement says the State government will extend one-time funding to be spread over a period of five years to strengthen local/traditional institutions at the grassroots level.
As per the agreement, various committees were supposed to be formed to follow up the plan of action.
But the committees remained non-functional and only met on a few occasions.
Sources said there was also delay in the transfer of minor works to the GHADC and no steps were taken to bring the civic administration (Municipal Council) under the Council.
Other pending issues include increase of seats in the GHADC to 40, setting up of a horticulture college, district hospitals and other institutions.
The sources added that there were not many review meetings held by the MHA committee headed by the Joint Secretary (NE) as the panel was supposed to meet every six months to review the status of implementation of the decisions taken based on the agreement.