The All Garo Hills Joint Action Committee (AGHJAC) met Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui in Shillong today to seek the completion of two education institutes in Garo Hills that have been stuck in limbo for years.
The JAC delegation was also accompanied by Selsella MLA Ferlin CA Sangma.
In their memo to the minister, the delegation highlighted that in 2011, two universities – Captain Williamson Sangma State Technical University (CWTU) in Tura and College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP) at Jewilgre in South West Garo Hills – were set to be built through a piece of legislation passed by the central government.
“A sum of Rs 19 crore for CWTU and another Rs 26 crore for the CAUP has already been sanctioned. We want to know why these two institutes are yet to be completed despite the importance of the projects to the people of Garo Hills,” questioned advisor, Rogerbenny A Sangma.
The AGHJAC also questioned the delay in results being declared within Meghalaya which they felt severely affected their chances at higher education outside the state.
Rymbui is also the Home Minister and the committee also questioned delays in the selection of police and civil servants.
“We requested the minister to intervene and initiate the selection process at the earliest to ease the burden of the applicants. We also asked for the selection process to take place in Garo Hills. The issue of age bar in light of the pandemic was also discussed and we asked for relaxation as the delay is not due to any fault of the applicants,” stated convenor, Balkarin Marak.
The delegation informed the minister of the need for setting up many more police stations and the need to build infrastructure to house them.
During the discussion, the Selsella MLA raised the matter of Tura Public School (the only ISC board school in Garo Hills), requesting an increase in the number of seats demand outstrips supply.
The MLA also requested that the school’s compound needs to be fenced, building infrastructure improved and a school playground constructed. She also suggested the appointment of a permanent principal while asking that the issue of the MTET applicants of Dadenggre be expedited.
