With so many pressing demands on the public purse, which the state government often tells the public is stretched beyond capacity, there seems to be no end to ideas to waste even more money.
Recently, the state government has come in for strong criticism for rewarding its allies with plum sinecures in various non-performing quangos and state-owned corporations and talking shops.
Today, leader of the opposition Ronnie Lyngdoh sought to clamber onto the bandwagon by putting forward the suggestion for government-sanctioned vehicles and other facilities for all MLAs, ostensibly to allow them to discharge their duties effectively.
Speaking with reporters, Lyngdoh said that he had written to the Deputy Chief Minister, who is in charge of parliamentary affairs, after being appointed leader of the opposition in the Assembly on this subject.
“If the MLAs can be provided with government vehicles, government drivers, clerical staff to enable them to discharge their duties effectively, in particular the constituency and in general the state, keeping the rank and stature,” Lyngdoh said.
He stated that he had a discussion with the Speaker and Deputy CM and that they have agreed to the suggestion in principle.
Asked how this will help the MLAs in the opposition, Lyngdoh, a former cabinet minister in years gone by who made his return to the Assembly this year after losing the election in 2018, admitted that the costs involved will be quite substantial.
However, “if MLAs are given more mobility I think that will help them, especially MLAs who represent those far-flung, remote constituencies. This will help them discharge their duties properly to look after their constituency and if the constituency is taken care of that means the state is taken care of,” he added.
