Shillong, Sep 17: Newly-appointed Power Minister Metbah Lyngdoh, who officially assumed charge today, said that he is eager to come to grips with his new brief.
The United Democratic Party (UDP) president and Mairang MLA was one of the beneficiaries of yesterday’s cabinet reshuffle. Apart from Power, he has also been given charge of Textiles, Water Resources and Taxation.
Asked about the challenges of leading the Power Department, whose state-owned utilities have suffered vast losses over the years, Lyngdoh said every department comes with its own set of demands. However, he acknowledged that the new role would require him to learn in depth. Confident about handling the task, he added that challenges had always been a part of his journey, and he was prepared to face those that lay ahead.
Speaking about the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL), the minister said he had yet to formally step into the department and would first study the situation before taking action. He pointed out that MeECL’s problems are longstanding and cannot be resolved overnight. “Decisions will need to be made carefully, with all stakeholders on board and every factor taken into account,” he said.
Lyngdoh also credited his predecessor, Abu Taher Mondal, for making genuine efforts to tackle the power sector’s concerns and acknowledged Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma’s personal involvement in addressing issues related to MeECL.
Lyngdoh was Speaker of the Assembly from 2019 to 2023, taking over after veteran UDP leader Donkupar Roy died in office. Before that he had been a cabinet minister under Sangma’s first administration from 2018 to 2019.
However, following the 2023 state election, after the UDP (briefly) explored the possibility of forming a non-Sangma-led government, Lyngdoh was excluded from cabinet while the role of Speaker went to a Sangma loyalist, Thomas A Sangma.
