Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Dr. Mukul Sangma has urged the Meghalaya government to engage in comprehensive discussions with all stakeholders on critical issues, including railway expansion and healthcare emphasizing the need for collective decision-making and address the concern.
” If we have been able to have that first alignment of Tetelia-Byrnihat without any opposition, the opposition was there but we address the concern. All the people of the state including the groups who represent different vigilant alert NGOs, what is their condition? They say that address the issue of concern of illegal immigration and uncontrolled influx, So that our demography does not get disturbed, our population, must not be disturbed because our Garo, Khasi, Jaintia, our population microscopic in terms of population. So, kindly have consultation and discussion,” he said.
Dr. Sangma stressed that the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016, was a robust framework developed through collective engagement with all political parties and should be implemented before considering amendments. “I think what went wrong was because immediately in 2019, the government said that, okay, this act needs to be further amended and improve, giving a perception that it is not good enough. It is good enough, implement it first, take everyone on board start consultation again,” he asserted.
He also urged the Chief Minister to call for an engagement and discussion with all concern, including the oppositions.
Criticizing the government’s handling of the railway expansion issue, he argued that shifting the project from Byrnihat to Khliehriat was not a solution. ” Discuss exhaustively and find a way otherwise now you say, okay, instead of Byrnihat has will take it to Khliehriat. It is not a way to solve problems. If there are concern, why cannot be address the concern. I think collectively, we will overcome,” he remarked.
The former Chief Minister expressed grave concerns over the rising cost of healthcare and the inefficacy of the Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS). “Health insurance program has become more like an instrument for the hospitals to threat the patient parties, because earlier the patient parties who were reluctant to go to hospital because of not having the kind of resources and money now because of the smart card they go but after going to get trapped because the cost is not covered by the Insurance amount. So, this needs to be corrected. How do we correct? Common sense is that when we want to buy anything, we should know the price because we are paying,” Dr Sangma stated.
“Now Does the (Health) Department know what is the cost being charged by the hospital concerned about appendectomy, about colostomy, about any other disease which is covered any other treatment courses of treatment covered under MHIS and then Ayushman Bharat. No, So it’s as bad as giving a blank check to somebody and he draws it. Therefore, the cost of treatment has shown continuous ascending order, all across the country, because both Union government and the state government have failed to understand the complicacy associated with the implementation of this program,” he warned.
He urged the government to engage experts, officers to reassess the implementation.
“Can we correct it? Yes. But then you have to take on board government of India Otherwise the cost of Healthcare will Shoot up so much, it will be beyond the capacity of the government to support. The whole premium of insurance will go on increasing and increasing. I would request honorable minister in charge (Health) to call a meeting. I’ll be there call others also, the officers who were involved in implementing at the initial State call them. We are there, let us share,” Dr Sangma added.
Additionally, Sangma discussed the establishment of Tura Medical College, emphasizing that it was selected based on government criteria for districts without medical colleges. He highlighted delays in its completion despite land being donated at Doldegre. He urged the government to expedite the project and secure additional funds for medical colleges in other districts, particularly Ri Bhoi.
In the education sector, Dr. Sangma warned that Meghalaya had failed to fully utilize funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, which supports education from preschool to Class 12. “The program will be over in another year. We have to ask for extension, in the meantime, we have lost the precious time for getting all those money which is inclusive of all from pre-schooling to class12.”
“. Why don’t you have one dedicated team in education department because it’s such a vast Department, it’s a very complicated Department. I have run it myself. I have burned my fingers, also. Yeah, so it is a complex department,” he remarked. He also mentioned about inclusion of regional languages in the Eighth Schedule.
“These are also connected with all well-verse officers, who were shifted after the regime change. That’s why the delay,” Dr Mukul added.