In Assembly
SHILLONG: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has defended his government’s decision to make ‘political appointments’ in the State.
In a written reply to a call attention motion moved by James Sangma (NPP) in the Assembly on Monday regarding RTI activists revealing huge expenditure incurred for political appointments, the Chief Minister said that these bodies provide an opportunity to those who have just entered the political arena to familiarize themselves with the system of administration and governance.
The justification of setting up of Boards, Commissions, Public Sector Undertakings and Councils came after it was raised by RTI activists saying that these bodies incurred wasteful expenditure by way of appointment of too many persons especially politicians heading them.
He said these bodies would continue to exist for the larger interest of the State.
The Chief Minister said that Councils, Commissions, Committees, Boards, PSUs and Public Sector Entities were constituted against the backdrop of meeting the interest of the citizens.
“It is this emphasis on social obligation that in most cases the Chairman of these public entities is normally politicians, being people who interact a lot with general populace especially with those at the grass-root level. They can therefore provide valuable inputs so that recommendations made to guide government policies are more citizen oriented,” the Chief Minister said.
The Chief Minister said that these Councils, Committees, Commissions, Boards etc provide a convenient forum for engaging policy makers, experts and other stakeholders to deliberate and exchange ideas and information of importance and come up with decisions or recommendations for the Government to implement.
