SHILLONG: The State Government wants to construct a mini secretariat in Jowai for which the government has ordered for the shifting of PWD (Roads), North Jowai Division from Jowai to Shangpung village.
Speaking to newsmen after many expressed their displeasure over the move of the government, Deputy Chief Minister in-charge, PWD (Roads), Prestone Tynsong said that Jowai and Tura were the oldest districts of the state and government in its bid to improve its administrative control in these two district.
“We have decided to have mini secretariats in all the districts but due to financial constraints, we are starting with Jowai and Tura and the construction work would begin very shortly,” Tynsong said.
Under the concept of mini secretariat, the government intends to house all the departments under one roof where people will have access to all the departments within the same premises.
Lamenting that the DC office in Jowai does not even have a proper parking place, he added that the people have to cross the congested Iawmusiang market area for going to the office.
“So after thorough examination, we have decided to shift the office of the Executive Engineer PWD, North Division from Jowai to Shangpung and the premises of the PWD in Jowai will be used to construct the mini secretariat,” Tynsong said.
The PWD (buildings) department has been asked to prepare the DPR and design of the proposed project.
It may be mentioned that quite a number of government offices in Jowai are functioning from rental premises at the moment.
Earlier, a notification issued by the secretary of the PWD (Roads & Building), had said that in the interest of works of the department and for convenient in construction and maintenance of roads, the Governor of Meghalaya is pleased to order shifting of the headquarter of PWD (Roads), North Jowai Division, Jowai to Shangpung with immediate effect and with this decision, the North Jowai Division will also be renamed as Shangpung Division.
The idea of the government to shift the office however has been vehemently opposed by different groups and NGOs.
