SHILLONG: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Wednesday questioned the locus standi of Thma U Rangli-Juki (TUR) to question the State Government on the Meghalaya Rights to Public Services Bill, 2020 which they said should be put up in the public domain before passing it in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
“This bill relates to the services delivered by the government departments and that should not be misunderstood,” he said.
TUR had earlier expressed shock that the state hovernment had not involved the citizens in framing the MRPS Bill 2020 through a proper pre-legislative consultation. It had asked the state government to put the Bill, in the public domain before tabling it in the Assembly session for consideration.
“The purpose of the Bill is to deliver services which have to be provided by the concerned department. We have brought this Bill and got it approved in the Cabinet. Once passed, it will be implemented immediately to ensure that the delivery mechanism is sped up,” said Tynsong. He added that once the Bill becomes an Act, the State Government will be able to hammer the concerned department if they fail to comply with directives.
Meanwhile, reacting to the Statement of the Deputy Chief Minister, a member of TUR, Angela Rangad said, “We are citizens who are supposed to be masters in a democracy. And as masters we need to know what our public servants are doing”.
Rangad said, “We want to tell the Deputy Chief Minister that the Government in a democracy should never be afraid of dialogue and discussions, especially when it comes to laws which are going to create structures of interface between the citizens and the government”.
Pointing out that it has been now an increasing practice to put the Bills in the public domain for suggestions and comments, she said that the State Government will do well to adopt this practice in transparency which helps further deepen democracy.