SHILLONG: “Are we a VIP when we are admitted in ICU? We get same treatment in same bed like general population and it’s the general population who is VIP and we are servants,” said NongthymmaI legislator, Charles Pyngrope in the floor of the House here on Friday.
Moving a cut motion over the expenditure of Rs 18069744 for payment of contractual staff engaged for catering necessary services to VIP and other high officials, Charles Pyngrope cornered the State government over the unavailability of rooms for the general population in the Meghalaya Houses setup in different parts of the country.
Pyngrope lamented that many of the rooms in Meghalaya House in different parts of the country lie vacant for months biting dust even though there is demand for rooms from the people.
He said that the support for catering to the VIP’s and high officials should be abolished and done away with.
Giving an example about the Meghalaya House in Kolkata, he said that Ministerial room in Meghalaya House Kolkata is even bigger than three room apartment.
“Our small state with limited resources cannot afford such luxury,” he said while underlining the importance of increasing the number of rooms in these state guest houses located in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Guwahati.
Echoing similar views, Congress MLA from Mawlai PT Sawkmie rued that contractual staffs in Meghalaya Houses and even the ground staff at the Guwahati airport which facilitates the movement of VIPs does not receive their salaries on time
“They face lot of problems as they don’t receive salary for months though they are putting their best effort,” he said.
Replying to the motion, Minister in charge, General Administration department (GAD), Comingone Ymbon said that maintenance of the Meghalaya House is a big challenge.
According to Ymbon, Meghalaya Houses often coordinates with the Central Government and various other agencies even as he pointed out that the Meghalaya Houses were compelled to engage daily wage workers to meet the growing demand of the people.
He also said that some of the VIP rooms are kept reserved due to the sudden visit of the VIP’s and other high officials.
The Minister however could not complete his reply due to paucity of time and he would complete his reply when the demands are taken up again in the Assembly.
