By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 3: Newly inducted cabinet minister Timothy D Shira has clarified that he never demanded a Cabinet berth in the MDA Government.
Earlier, Shira was asked to step down as the Deputy Chief Minister and was recently appointed as the Tourism Minister during the Cabinet rejig.
Speaking to the media persons here, he reiterated that reshuffling in the Cabinet is the prerogative of the chief minister.
Shira said that although he did not demand a berth, there had been long-standing demands from the people of North Garo Hills for representation in the Cabinet.
Denying that Chief Minister Conrad Sangma was pressured to accommodate someone from North Garo Hills, Shira stated, “There was a request for a very long time.”
Prior to the reshuffle, there had been significant pressure on the chief minister to induct either Mendipathar MLA Marthon Sangma or Timothy D Shira as the Cabinet representative from North Garo Hills. Eventually, the chief minister chose the latter.
“North Garo Hills people wanted a representative as the NPP won in all four constituencies, showing cent percent performance in the district,” he said.
Meanwhile, when asked if the Congress could make a comeback in Garo Hills, Shira, while maintaining that it was too early to predict, said that politics is always unpredictable.
Agri officers warned
Shira, who is also the Agriculture Minister, has urged certain officers in the department to be more accessible to the public and not function in an autocratic manner.
Informing that many farmers have complained about receiving seeds very late, he said, “When they try to approach concerned officers, some of them remain inaccessible, act as big officers, and show no respect.”
Stating that he would look into the complaints of the people, Shira reminded the concerned officers that ministers, MLAs, IAS and MCS officers are all there to serve the people.
“Public must have access to officers and they should not act in an autocratic manner,” the agriculture minister warned.
Meanwhile, Shira has also expressed his keenness to develop caving in Meghalaya, which is home to some of the longest caves in the country.
He said he would explore the possibility of developing Siju Cave on the lines of caves in other countries, where tourists can go till the end with proper pathways and electricity.
“Such facilities do not exist in the caves here in Meghalaya,” the tourism minister added.
