Shillong, Aug 26: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma assured action on five demands of the Khasi Students’ Union ( KSU) after holding a meeting with the union members on Wednesday ( Aug 26)
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the chief minister said that he had a constructive meeting with the leaders of the KSU, along with the two Deputy Chief Ministers and senior officials, to discuss the five key agendas raised by the union.
Fact-finding panel on Shree Cement
“On the Shree Cement public hearing, we agreed to constitute an independent fact-finding committee headed by a senior government official to examine concerns regarding the process, stakeholder participation and environmental issues. Until the committee completes its findings, all further work at the site will remain on hold”, the chief minister said.
MRSSA implementation
“Regarding the implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), we discussed expediting registration of people coming from outside the State. A technology-based application is also being developed to simplify registration and create a centralised database. We also agreed on a joint inspection of the Umling Facilitation Centre, with the aim of operationalising it before Christmas, while efforts will continue to identify land for centres at other locations”, the CM said.
Migrant Workers Act
“We also discussed the implementation of the amended Meghalaya Identification, Registration, Safety & Security of Migrant Workers Act. The rules have been further clarified across 34 areas, including the powers of officers conducting verification and the use of the CCTNS network for police verification. The revised system is expected to be rolled out shortly after orientation of the concerned officials”, the CM said.
NEIGRIHMS recruitment
About the recruitment in NEIGRIHMS, the chief minister said he assured the union that the state government will facilitate a meeting with the Union Health Minister so that their concerns can be raised directly. The state will also extend logistical support wherever required for examinations.
State recruitments
Regarding transparency in recruitment, the chief minister shared that interviews for Grade D posts have already been stopped, while interviews for Grade C non-technical posts will be abolished from January 1, 2027.
“We have also implemented 19 of the 23 reforms recommended for the MPSC, with four under consideration. We will also examine the legal framework to ensure that opportunities in State recruitment can be appropriately aligned with the interests of Meghalaya’s residents”, he said.
According to the chief minister, the KSU has expressed its desire to continue the dialogue on the remaining issues from the larger set of demands it had submitted. “As a government, we remain open to constructive engagement. The concerns and suggestions of every stakeholder are important, and we will continue to work towards solutions that are legally sound and in the larger interest of the people of Meghalaya”, the CM added.
