By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 12: In a bid to enable the Police department to look after its extensive infrastructure in the state, the Meghalaya Cabinet on Tuesday approved the institution of an engineering wing in the police headquarters here.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that the proposal was approved as police have a large infrastructure across the state, and it will allow the department to take care of the buildings and offices.
According to the CM, in the absence of an engineering wing, the department would have to follow different procedures, which are time consuming and involve different agencies to take up even the small things such as repair of a bathroom or barrack.
Sangma also said that the government had earlier come up with a decision to sanction and keep a certain amount of fund to be utilised at the discretion of the Superintendent of Police and Deputy Commissioner of every district for immediate repair works at the district level so as to ensure proper infrastructure for policing.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet also repealed the Rajat Lal University Ordinance Act 2011, while approving the Meghalaya GST 2017 Amendment Ordinance.
According to the CM, these are amendments that are mandated in terms of the decisions taken by the GST Council which are then implemented by the state governments. He said that every state government has to amend the GST Act as per the amendments made by the GST Council.
The Cabinet also approved the amendment to Meghalaya Medical Council Amendment Ordinance 2023.
The Cabinet also amended the National Law University of Meghalaya Ordinance Act, which pertains to the basic changes in the finance committee of the University.
In another decision, the Cabinet gave the green light to the establishment of the State Water Informatics Centre, Meghalaya, with the Department of Water Resources as the lead department.
Sangma said that the State Water Informatics Centre will be the agency that will document information related to waterbodies including watersheds, spring sheds etc.
The Centre will also monitor them throughout the year, while also sharing the data with concerned departments so that proper informative decisions can be made as mandated by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.