The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) on Wednesday sought the intervention of the Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh to ensure all Central government offices implement the 44% job reservation for Scheduled Tribes in the state.
In a letter submitted to Lyngdoh, HYC president Roy Kupar Synrem said, “Therefore, we urged upon the Government of Meghalaya to kindly take appropriate steps to ensure that all the Central Government offices/Institutions/
He said that as per the Office Memorandum No.360 1711 12004-Estt.(Res.) issued by the Government of India, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Personnel and Training New Delhi, dated the 5th July, 2005; Office Memorandum dated 4th July, 2007 and COMPENDIUM OF INSTRUCTIONS No. F.No.36011/1/2022-Estt.(Res-I) dated14.10.2022, the Government of India has provided for Revision of quantum of reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes in case of direct recruitment to Group ‘C’ and ‘D’ posts normally attracting candidates from a locality or a region.
As per these Office Memorandums and standing instructions, in the State of Meghalaya the Percentage of Reservation is 1 % for Scheduled Castes, 44% for Scheduled Tribes and 5 % for Other Backward Classes.
“We have got several informations that most of the Central Government’s offices/Institutions/
Synrem said that the delegation has also urged the government to take steps to ensure that the Fast Track Courts/Special Courts as envisaged under DREAM Project, for trial of cases under NDPS Act be established as soon as possible, especially for East Khasi Hills District.
“At present there are no Special Courts for trial of cases under NDPS Act, hence trial lingers on for years altogether and this discourages especially the witnesses and the general public to assist the State machinery in the fight against Drugs,” he said.
He also congratulated the Department of Social Welfare for launching the Drug Reduction, Elimination, and Action Mission (DREAM) on June 27, 2023 with an aim to transform the State into a “Drug Free Meghalaya”, He said, “It is a comprehensive policy, no doubt, with a vision to eliminate substance use and establishing a society free from the grips of substance addiction, which all of us are wishing for. But what concern us is that this Mission/Policy should not become like other documents of the Government which look good only on paper but failed to take off and implement as desired.”
The HYC president also informed that the delegation had requested the government to implement the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988 (PIT-NDPS Act).
“We would also like to urged upon you that steps should be taken to further strengthen the crackdown against drug trafficker, by detaining/booking those accused/traffickers, who have been arrested more than once, under the stringent provisions of the PIT-NDPS Act,” he said.
He added that the State Government had constituted the Advisory Board as mandated by the PIT-NDPS Act, 1988 and so far on its recommendation, only 9 persons involved in drug trafficking, have been detained for a period of 3 years.
“We requested the department to take action against all such offenders,” Synrem said.