Chief Minister Conrad Sangma will meet Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi to discuss removal of civil areas from the limits of Shillong Cantonment.
The State government has recently nominated the Commissioner and Secretary, Urban Affairs Department as member to look into the details of proposed modalities for excision of civil areas from the limits of Shillong Cantonment.
The nomination of the official was in pursuance of the office memorandum issued by the Ministry of Defence on May 23.
It may be mentioned that the 19th century British-era Shillong Cantonment Board will soon shed its cantonment tag and have its civilian area separated and removed from Army control.
Shillong Cantonment Board was established in 1885. The Cantonment Board has control of 491 acres of land with a population of 11,919 as per the 2011 Census. Currently, the Shillong Cantonment Board consists of 14 members, including seven elected members.
Civilian residents of cantonments are not benefited from state welfare schemes since cantonments are governed by Cantonment Boards through the Defence Estates Department of the Ministry of Defence.
Sangma will also meet union ministers to hold discussions on setting up of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) centres in the state.
He will be accompanied by Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma
The Chief Minister also said he will meet Chairman of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to discuss issues relating to the power sector in the state.
“We have some plans with them (NTPC) to look at power plants in Meghalaya, the details of which cannot be divulged at this juncture,” he said.
He will also meet officials of the International Solar Alliance besides Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal to discuss issues relating to the unity mall project in Meghalaya.
