Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday called on state Governor Satya Pal Malik and raised the issue pertaining to the demand for implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in the state and also discussed the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security (Amendment) Act, 2020, both of which have been recommended by the State assembly.
“We discussed the issue of MRSSA and ILP and the Governor also expressed that he is concerned about these issues and will be taking up the matter at his level along with the home ministry,” Sangma told reporters after meeting the Governor Satya Pal Malik.
Mentioning about the detailed discussion on the twin issues of implementation of ILP and getting the governor’s assent for MRSSA, the Chief Minister informed that Malik will be leaving for New Delhi after 17th of December to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other leaders to discuss both the issues.
“We hope that we will find a positive way forward on this,” Sangma said.
Asked about the points on which the Governor sought clarification regarding the MRSSA Bill, the CM said, “He has seen the entire bill and he feels that it is something doable and possible and at the same time he feels this matter still needs to be discussed with the Centre because there were certain concerns earlier and because of that this bill did not go through at that point in time. I think it is a positive message he has given to me and he said he will do his best to discuss with them and try to move this forward”.
Several pressure groups across the State have been demanding that the ILP, under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act, 1873, be implemented in the State to check influx of illegal migrants into the State over fears the microscopic indigenous communities of the State could be affected.
The Khasi Students’ Union, that has been spearheading the demand for the implementation of ILP in the State, had recently petitioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention for the implementation of the ILP in Meghalaya.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition, Dr. Mukul Sangma has demanded from the State government to immediately prevail upon the central government to implement ILP.
The opposition leader also informed that the opposition Congress legislators will meet the Governor to find out the status of amendment of MRSSA.
The former Chief Minister said that there was no need for an all-party delegation to go to Delhi to urge the centre to demand ILP since the Resolution urging the central government for implementation of ILP itself represents the sixty members of the assembly.
Delhi-Shillong direct flights from December 21
The first direct flight between New Delhi and Shillong will take off from Shillong’s Umroi airport on December 21, announced Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.
“The airlines have confirmed and we are hopeful that the flight will start on December 21. We will have another flight on December 23. We will ensure that at least once or up-to twice a week flights from Delhi to Shillong will be operational,” he told reporters here
Sangma further informed that the flight which is likely to be operational from Delhi will be a 72-seater aircraft which is bigger than the regular ATR planes.
Direct flights between the national capital and the Meghalaya capital have been long awaited, with several endeavours to this effect not having taken off in the past in full flight, despite efforts by the State government and the Union ministry of civil aviation
