Shillong, Feb 20: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Monday released its manifesto for the Assembly elections and assured to pressurize the Centre for extension of the special protective provision for the state of Meghalaya under Article 371 of the Constitution of India.

The manifesto released by the VPP chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit and other party leaders also assured to investigate into the alleged scams of the MDA government besides reviewing the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with Assam in respect to the 6 of 12 areas of differences and pursuing the demand for ILP to regulate influx of outsiders into the state.

“In order to safeguard the indigenous tribal cultures and customs, the party is committed to pursue and pressurize the Government of India for an extension of the special protective provisions for the state of Meghalaya under Article 371 of the Constitution of India,” the manifesto said.

It said that the party is also committed to regulate the influx of non-indigenous people to the state by pursuing the implementation of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873 in the whole state of Meghalaya.

“However, the party is committed to maintain the cordial relations between all communities who are the genuine residents of the state,” the manifesto said while adding that the party is also committed to the strict enforcement of the Meghalaya Residents, Safety and Security Act, 2016 (MRSSA).

Committed to safeguarding the inter-state borders with Assam and international borders with Bangladesh, the VPP promised to come up with an effective border policy and to review the MoU signed between the MDA government and the Government of Assam.

It also promised to settle the border dispute with Assam by looking into the question and fact of traditional and historical boundaries and to provide free registration of land to the people living in the border areas besides bringing development to the border areas on a priority basis.

The VPP also promised to ensure that mining and transportation of coal and other minerals are being carried out strictly in accordance with law in order to prevent leakage of revenue and destruction of the environment, and said, “Therefore, the party promises to stop all the illegal activities of the present MDA government”.

Regarding the alleged scams of the MDA government, the party said it will institute an inquiry in the hands of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the alleged financial irregularities and scams and other excesses committed by the MDA government including the excessive and unacceptable Covid-19 expenditure, PDS rice scam, Saubhagya scam, JJM scam, Assembly’s dome collapse, illegal transportation of coal, illegal coke factory, teargas against teachers and Cheristerfied Thangkhiew’s encounter.

Asserting the need to review the reservation policy, the VPP said that the present reservation policy of the state is not a law but it is a collection of executive orders. Moreover, it is exclusionary in certain aspects. Stating that situations and conditions have not remained the same as in the year 1972, it added, “Therefore, there is a strong need to bring about a review of the reservation policy and to be made in the form of an Act.”

Stating that development without employment is anti-people, the party said it is committed to create employment opportunities for the youth of the state by taking steps to develop agro-based industries, create more job opportunities in public transport system, fill all the vacant posts in the government sector, create conducive environments for the private sector to thrive for generating more jobs for the youth and others.

Further, the party said it is committed to revive, restore and transform education in Meghalaya by improving the quality and service delivery of government schools and colleges, review the aid system to the private aided institutions, improve the service conditions of the teachers in private and private aided schools and colleges, regulate education through legislative measures and others.

The VPP also promised to provide affordable and quality health care to the people by strengthening the government dispensaries, sub-health centres, PHCs, CHCs, civil hospitals, reduce maternal and child mortality rate, and complete establishment of the pending medical colleges on an urgent basis.

Emphasizing the need to address the problem of landlessness among the people of the state, the party said it is committed to conduct a cadastral survey of land, enact appropriate legislation to prevent the inequitable landholding and to frame a legislation for regulation of Agricultural land from non-agricultural purposes.

The party in its manifesto also promises to address the rural-urban migration by bringing development and urbanization to the rural areas while also stressing on the need to decongest Shillong and building satellite towns and said there is a need to redesign New Shillong to avoid its dependency on Shillong.

The party also promised to strengthen the public exchequer by adopting effective management of the public sector undertakings, preventing revenue leakage, ending political appointments and abolition of commissions that are created with the sole purpose of providing political patronage, ending organization of unnecessary festivals, adopting austerity measures and scraping of the reimbursement of income taxes extended to the members of the All India Services serving within Meghalaya.

The party also promised to ensure law and order is maintained for ensuring economic growth and development, to repeal the Meghalaya Gaming Act, 2021 and to strengthen the Meghalaya Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act, 2012 to address the problem of social instability for children.

It also said that it is committed to fight against the drug menace adding youth who have become victims to the addiction deserves to be rehabilitated and integrated back in the society.

The VPP said that the city is not senior citizen and children friendly as they are deprived of free spaces due to an unplanned growth even as it promised to provide free spaces in the neighbourhood wherever it is feasible in collaboration between the state government and local bodies.

It also said it is also fully committed to the cause of inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.