SHILLONG, July 17: The Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) on Sunday asked the state government to come up with guidelines for operation of Rapido bike service, which have to some extent addressed the problems of unemployment among the educated youth of the state.

This came after the transport department had recently banned the Rapido bike service in the state.

In a statement, KHNAM state youth wing president Thomas Passah said the ban on the Rapido bike service based on Section 66, Sub-Section 1 of the MV Act 1988 has generated unemployment among the youth of the state on a large scale, that too at a time when the state is fighting the biggest problems of unemployment and economic crises.

“Therefore…(we) urge the state government not only to restrict itself to the MV Act but also take into consideration the Article 41, Part IV and make policy/rules/guidelines for the Rapido bikes so that the youth of the state are provided with some source of self employment,” he said.

According to him, the Constitution through Article 41 in part IV  dealing with the Directive Principles of State Policy prescribes the state to make effective provisions for securing the “right to work” and “right to public assistance in cases of unemployment”.

He said that many state in the Country have already put in place rule/guidelines/policy for Rapido bikes then why can’t Meghalaya do the same.

Stating that the Chief Minister of Meghalaya has on many occasions encouraged youth to be self employed, Passah said, “but at times like this if policies are not put in place for the Rapido Bikes then it will seem that the Government is not really interested to uplift our unemployed youth.”

Admitting that law has its stand on one hand, the KHNAM leader however noted that the bike-taxis are much cheaper than cabs or autos and can easily navigate through narrow gaps on the traffic-laden road.

He further stated that Rapido allowed citizens to take a break from riding their own vehicle through the city’s traffic and also addressed the needs of citizen who need to rush to a particular place, even students have benefitted from them.

Most importantly though, the present ban has made thousands of youth unemployed.