By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 5: Leader of the Opposition, Mukul Sangma on Wednesday tried to school Education Minister, Rakkam A. Sangma on the rules and procedure of the Assembly for his alleged inability to provide a specific answer to his query during the question and answer round.
Raising a supplementary question, Mukul pointed out that the first instalment of funds to start work on the College of Architecture and Urban Planning in Tura was received on February 28, 2017, but it got delayed.
Rakkam replied that despite delays, the work had been completed.
“We know it is completed but the House needs to be told why the work was delayed lest it sets a precedent,” Mukul said.
“The infrastructure has been completed despite challenges and we are in the process of getting the approval from the All India Council of Technical Education because the website opens once a year in December. This year, we will apply for the approvals to run the courses,” Rakkam said.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma intervened and said the construction work was delayed due to the location, poor road connectivity, the impact of COVID-19, the presence of elephants, and other local issues. He informed the House that the road was not part of the amount sanctioned initially but was factored in later.
Mukul, however, said the Education Minister was trying to withhold information and that his “attitude” amounted to the breach of privilege of the House. He then asked about the courses the college would offer.
Rakkam replied that the college would have two undergraduate courses of four years each – one in architecture and the other in planning.
He also said the department would seek approval from the AITCE online in December this year. “The academic session will start once the approval is received,” he added.
Mukul asked if some weightage could be given to students waiting for admission.
Stepping in for Rakkam, the CM said: “I think it is wrong to judge or to conclude that he (Education Minister) was withholding information. He specifically said he did not have the information.”
He continued, “Different processes need to be followed when we implement things, permissions need to be taken from the central government… these take time. We are concerned about the delay and we would like to see things move fast and that is why we have taken the steps to sanction the posts required so that there is no delay as and when we get the necessary approval.”
Mukul took a swipe at Rakkam for not having the information, unlike the CM. He also mimicked the Education Minister when he rummaged through piles of documents to reply to a supplementary question by the VPP’s Mawlai MLA, Brightstarwell Marbaniang on the number of sanctioned posts in the college.
The CM came to Rakkam’s rescue again and said the posts of 20 teaching and 26 non-teaching staff have been sanctioned for the college.
TMC chief and Nongthymmai MLA, Charles Pyngrope asked about the number of seats reserved for students from Meghalaya. The Education Minister said this would be worked out but most of the seats would be reserved for students from the state.