The Meghalaya cabinet today approved an ordinance to increase the state’s contingency fund by double, from Rs 500 crore to Rs 1,000 crore.
Speaking to reporters following the cabinet meeting, which was delayed by a day due to the extended presence of the President of India in Shillong, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said that the ordinance is a “temporary measure”.
Unless the contingency fund is increased when budgetary provisions are exhausted, only the passage of a supplementary demand in the Assembly would allow the government to utilise further funds.
“We are receiving additional funds from the Indian government and our overall revenue and other aspects of funds from the Centre have gone up. Hence, we are in a position where we will be getting additional funds for some more development work but the amount in the budgetary provisions is not enough to use those funds. Hence, the provisions are being enhanced so that we are in a position to utilise the funds that are going to come from the Centre,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the cabinet also decided to repeal the Meghalaya Civil Task Force Act 1974, as the CM said that it is outdated.
The taskforce has outlived its usefulness in dealing with the concerned employees.
“Therefore, the act itself is actually redundant and, to ensure that there are no further complications, the state cabinet today decided that it will be repealed,” Sangma said.
Officials who were part of the taskforce will be allocated to other areas of the government. The legislation to repeal the 50-year-old act will be introduced in the next Assembly session.
The cabinet also approved the names recommended for the Meghalaya Day Award and these will be announced during the Meghalaya Day celebration. At the same time, the cabinet also approved the list of VIPs to take the salute at upcoming Republic Day celebrations across the state.
The CM also said that the cabinet approved the new ‘state anthem’.
“We are immensely happy that the state will finally have its own anthem after 52 years of statehood and we look forward to releasing it tomorrow at the Meghalaya Day celebrations,” he said.
