Setting up of entry/exit points to check influx fast tracked: Meghalaya CM Mukul Sangma

SHILLONG: Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma today said his government has ordered fast tracking for setting up entry/exit points to check influx in lieu of Inner Line Permit.

The state government has also approved proposals for introducing the draft bills on benami and tenancy in the forthcoming Assembly session.

"The direction has been given that land acquisition process must be fast tracked to ensure the whole exercise for setting up the entry/exit points or facilitation centres are completed," Sangma told reporters.

He said all district deputy commissioners have completed their identification of the sites work.

"We must take possession of the land after completion of the land acquisition process of those identified locations," Sangma said.

The announcement came in the wake of pro-ILP groups expressing disappointment on the delay of the government to start the first phase of implementation of 'comprehensive mechanism' proposed last year.

The Chief Minister said the cabinet has approved constitution of a task force to ensure that the implementation of the comprehensive mechanism in dealing with the issue of influx and illegal immigration was complete within a fixed timeline.

The task force proposed by the political department would be headed by the Additional Chief Secretary as its chairman with officials of other relevant departments as members, he said.

Sangma said the draft bill to amend the Meghalaya Benami Transaction Provision Act, 1980 as well as draft version of the Meghalaya Regulation of Landlord and Verification of Residence Bill has been completed.

"Now they have to take all due diligence to process for introducing in the forthcoming Assembly session," he said adding the cabinet has also proposed to have another round of consultation on the final draft bill with stakeholders and partners in structuring this whole bill.

"Therefore, suitable date will now be fixed where the final draft bills will be once more presented before the government and the NGOs and whatever suggestions or any fine tuning is felt to be required will be accordingly incorporated," Mukul said.