Creation of civil sub-divisions as per merit: Deputy CM

SHILLONG: With Congress MLAs waiting in a queue at the government doors demanding upgradation of their respective constituencies into civil sub-divisions, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong has said that the state government cannot prevent legislators from demanding creation of civil sub-divisions.
“The government will need to examine the demands according to their merits. We will also have to see if the demand is justified,” Tynsong told media persons here on Wednesday.
After the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma announced upgradation of the Ranikor administrative unit into a civil sub-division, the MDA Government is being flooded with requests from various MLAs for creation of civil sub-divisions in their constituencies.
Recently Congress MLAs Process T Sawkmie (Mawlai) and HM Shangpliang (Mawsynram) also urged the government to upgrade their constituencies into civil sub-divisions.
On the claim of Shangpliang that the people of Mawsynram have been demanding creation of a civil sub-division for the past 15 years, Tynsong said it did not matter whether the demand has been pending for 15 years or 40 years.
“The government would have to examine if there is any justification in creation of a civil sub-division after assessing the need of the area,” Tynsong said.
Meanwhile, Tynsong justified the creation of the Ranikor civil sub-division saying that it was one of the most backward areas of the state.
“The local Congress MLA from Ranikor Martin M Danggo had been pushing for creation of the civil sub-division for the past 12 years, but none of the previous governments paid any heed to his request,” he stated.