Replying to a question raised by Congress legislator Sayeedulah Nongrum in the Assembly on Thursday, Deputy Chief Minister Hoping Stone Lyngdoh said NHAI had prepared the DPR amounting to Rs 220.35 crore for construction of the Shillong By-Pass from Umiam to Sohryngkham.

Mr Lyngdoh, who also holds the PWD (Roads) portfolio, said the proposal for approval of work is currently lying with the Union Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways.

"Tender for the work will be called by the NHAI after the DPR is approved by the Ministry," Mr Lyngdoh told the House.

On a question by Congress member Martin M Danggo regarding the present status of the proposed four laning of National Highway-40 from Jorabat to Umiam, Mr Lyngdoh said work for a total length of 61.80 km on the stretch had already been entrusted to the NHAI by the Ministry.

According to Mr Lyngdoh, the four-lane highway would be constructed on Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT)-cum-annuity basis and that the NHAI had invited interested companies for prequalification bids for the project.

Power Minister Conrad K Sangma has denied that decrease in the water level of Umiam Lake that led to load shedding in the State was due to pumping of water from the lake by the Army to feed its Rangmen Cantonment.

Replying to a question raised by Mr Nongrum and supplementary queries by other Opposition members, Mr Sangma said the effect on power generation due to supply of water to the Cantonment was negligible.

"As per the agreement signed on August 11, 1970, the amount of water that would be pumped out by the Army is 13.5 lakh gallons per day but currently they are pumping only 3.75 lakh gallons," Mr Sangma said.

Stating that the monetary value of the water pumped out by the Army was negligible, the Power Minister said it would only amount to Rs 1,000 per day and 6.61 kilowatt of electricity which according to him would affect only one or two households.

Agriculture Minister EC Boniface Bamon on Thursday informed the House that Rs 72.11 lakh had been spent for celebrating the 'Year of the Farmers' in 2007 and out of the amount, Rs 33.80 lakh was spent for hosting shows, exhibitions and awareness programmes for farmers in various districts of the State. He said the Agriculture department also purchased 374 power tillers at the cost of Rs 1.68 crore to distribute to farmers at subsidised rates.

Mr Chaudhuri was replying to a resolution moved by Opposition Congress legislator Lahkmen Rymbui for setting up of a NEHU campus at Jowai, in the Assembly on Thursday.

According to the minister, as of now the government is more likely to support the proposal to set up the College of Applied Sciences in Jaintia Hills than to ask for immediate setting up of a permanent campus of NEHU in Jowai.

However, he said, success of the proposed college in Jaintia Hills would be a stepping stone for eventual creation of a permanent NEHU campus in the district.

While stating that the government would take all possible steps to ensure that Jaintia Hills was not neglected in the field of university education, Mr Chaudhuri said the proposed 

college had been approved by the NEHU Academic Council and process was on to get necessary funds from the University Grants Commission for the purpose.

He admitted that Jaintia Hills was lagging behind in terms of education as compared to other regions of the State. Literacy rate in the district is 51.9 per cent as against the State figure of 62.6 per cent.

Besides NEHU, all the three private universities -- Martin Luther Christian University, Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India University and William Carrey University - are located outside Jaintia Hills, he mentioned.

Earlier, Mr Rymbui had said creation of NEHU campus in Jaintia Hills would benefit the student community of the district which at present has a total college enrollment of around 4,000 students. He also said since the university had a campus in Tura, similar benefits could be extended to Jaintia Hills. He was also supported by Opposition members - Dr Roytre C Laloo, Dr Mukul Sangma, Frankenstein W Momin, Comingone Ymbon, Sngiawbhalang Dhar and Dr Phlour W Khongji.

SHILLONG: A group of 11 tour operators from Dhaka will arrive at Jowai to attend a three-day interaction programme on tourism potential in Jaintia Hills from April 25 to 27. The programme is jointly organised by Jaintia Tourism Environment Society and the district administration to attract tourists from Bangladesh to the district.

Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner Frederick Roy Kharkongor said, "The Bangladeshi delegation will be taken to various important tourist spots in the district so that they can have first-hand experience of the beauty of the places." The tour operators comprise AB Tours, Green Tourism, Keari Tours and Services, Mass Travels and Tours Limited, Bangladesh Eco Tours Limited and Evergreen Tourism Network.

The Government sanctioned Rs 3.43 crore to compensate for the land to be acquired for the project, Urban Affairs Minister Paul Lyngdoh said in the Assembly on Thursday adding that Rs 2.60 crore had already been handed over to the Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills for the purpose.

Mr Lyngdoh was responding to concern expressed by several members on the traffic problems in the city after a question was raised by Opposition Congress legislator Sngiawbhalang Dhar.

"The DC has been asked to start the land acquisition process and the defence authorities have also been approached to allot the necessary land for construction of the fly-over," Mr Lyngdoh said.

The Government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to tackle the traffic problems in the State, as part of which, SP of Ri-Bhoi district had been asked to coordinate with the SP of Kamrup district in Assam to regulate entry of trucks into Meghalaya.

"Police have been asked to identify more parking spaces along the national highway for heavy vehicles to ensure smooth flow of traffic," Mr Lyngdoh said.

The Urban Affairs Minister informed the House that school authorities would be asked to ensure that minimum number of cars was parked on the road near their respective campuses during the peak hours. City traffic police will shortly hold a meeting with the school authorities in this regard.

There is also a move by Urban Affairs department to identify embarkation and disembarkation points for taxis and buses in order to stop haphazard parking by the passenger vehicles.

On a complaint by members regarding malfunctioning of the traffic lights, Mr Lyngdoh said since the city's Urban Traffic Control System (UTCS), as part of which the "sophisticated" traffic lights were installed, was a pilot project started for the first time in the North-East, its feasibility would be monitored to see that it was properly synchronized.

He also assured the House of taking steps to reduce traffic congestion in Jowai and Tura.

Those who took part in the debate on the traffic problem were -- Sanbor Shullai (NCP), Ardent M Basaiawmoit (UDP) and Congress members H Donkupar Roy Lyngdoh, Charles Pyngrope, Abu Taher Mandal, Dr Roytre C Laloo, Ronnie V Lyngdoh and Frankenstein W Momin.

SHILLONG: Former General Secretary, MDP, B Kular Khongjirem has filed an RTI application to the Information Officer, Higher and Technical Education, Government of Meghalaya, seeking clarification on the number of teaching and non-teaching staff of government-aided schools taking part in political activities after the ban issued by an order of the government.

Mr Khongjirem who was a schoolteacher had resigned as MDP General Secretary after the Director, Higher and Technical Education had issued an order banning all government aided school teachers from taking part in politics or aligning with any political party.

SHILLONG: Even though Central government tends to deny the growing effect of HIV-AIDS in various parts of the country especially in the North Eastern region, the 26th Quadrennial Assembly of the National Council of Churches (NCC) to be held in Shillong from April 26 will formulate a National Policy to combat HIV-AIDS.

Talking to reporters here on Thursday, convenor of the Quadrennial Assembly (NCC) Rev PBM Basaiawmoit said, "We are working on the final draft of the National Policy on HIV-AIDS" adding that the process of dialogue with NGOs like United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) is on.

Rev Basaiawmoit informed that HIV-AIDS is the biggest challenge to mankind especially as it is still in the stage of denial.

He pointed out that majority of the people are not aware of the mode of infection adding that efforts should be made to organise mass awareness programmes about this disease especially in the far-flung areas.

Mr Basaiawmoit felt that this awareness programme could sensitise the people to refrain from certain kind of activities that may possibly lead to infection.

"Apart from HIV-AIDS, during the assembly we would also take up other importants issues like climate change and global terrorism" Rev Basaiawmoit said.

He said that the assembly would begin with the Inter-Faith Pre-Assembly from April 26 to 29 and the theme of the meet is on 'Climate change, global terrorism and HIV/AIDS: Inter Mission Challenges.

He informed that the Inter-Faith Pre-Assembly would be inaugurated by Higher and Technical Education Minister Manas Chaudhuri on April 26 at KJP Assembly Conference.

About 300 delegates from different parts of the country and guests from abroad will attend the pre-assembly to be hosted by different local churches under the PCI, Rev Basaiawmoit said.

He said that the youth assembly would be hosted by Laban Presbyterian Church, Women's Pre-Assembly would be hosted by Umlyngka Presbyterian Church and North East India and Tribal Pre-Assembly being hosted by and held at Mawlai Phudmawri Presbyterian Church.

He also informed that Presbyterian Church of India (PCI) has received 363 names of delegates who will attend the main assembly. The pre-assembly will also include cultural programmes, workshops, and exhibitions and culminate in united public worships besides business sessions, Rev Basaiawmoit said.

However, he confirmed that the main assembly starting from May 1 will start will a procession to the Jaiaw Presbyterian Church where the Master of the Senate of Serampore College and NCCI chairperson Dr. K Rajaratnam will deliver his keynote address on the theme, ‘Together in Mission: Empowering Local Congregation". The Assembly will conclude on May 4 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

SHILLONG: The city is set to have a "world-class" university dubbed as English and Foreign Languages (EFL) University which is aiming to rope in students from all over the country and also from Latin American, African and Asian nations.

The EFL University, which will offer several specialised courses on English and other foreign languages, is a breakaway group of the Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages.

Addressing a press meet here on Tuesday, first vice-chancellor of the university Prof Abhai Maurya said Shillong is an ideal place to have this kind of "world-class institution".

The university with headquarters at Hyderabad was established in 2007. It has regional centres in Chandigarh and Bangalore, 50 district centres and many branches abroad including in Cambodia, Myanmar and Sri Lanka, Prof Maurya said.

In Shillong, the university is functioning from the NEHU campus at Umshing in Mawlai.

The university authorities will soon approach the State Government for a plot of land to construct a full-fledged campus which will also include hostels for about 2,000 foreign and 1,000 Indian students, according to the vice-chancellor.

"The university will advance and disseminate instructional, research and extension facilities in the teaching of English and foreign languages and literatures in India," he added. At present, EFL University offers a variety of courses and research programmes in English, Arabic, French, German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish.

Mr Ardent Basaiawmoit, MLA of Nongkrem constituency has struck the right cord in asking for live coverage of the State Assembly proceedings. This is something that the private channels in Assam do as a matter of routine and what the official channel Doordarshan prefers to give a miss to except for some cursory report of a few minutes and that too focused only on key ministers and their replies. Live coverage could provide a lot of information and entertainment as well. We the people would get to see who says what and whether what is being said carries weight or is a lot of hot air.

I maintain my stance that the Congress is doing a fantastic job in the opposition. Members are active, informed and evidently well-prepared to do the grilling job. So we did need a strong (as in brains not brawns) opposition to bring the assembly sessions alive. No wonder the MPA ministers and parliamentary secretaries are extra cautious not to be caught napping or on the wrong foot (except for Nimarson Momin). Live coverage of the assembly would inform us who is awake and who is taking a snooze; who is playing truant and wasting public money and who is simply keeping mum during the sessions. Visual delights of representatives playing with their mobile phones or sending sweet messages will now be captured more graphically. But more than that is the opportunity to see how our brand new legislators are performing. Mind you there are thirty three of them in the current House. It is rare for a State to shed more than half of its erstwhile representatives. Is this not a vote for change?

Now coming closer to the point, on Wednesday, Transport Minister, Nimarson Momin committed a series of faux pas. He was unable to give satisfactory answers about when Baljek would become operational. He did try a quick cover up job by blaming the 'law and order problem', meaning perhaps the ubiquitous militants. When you have no one to blame it is safer to throw the blame at those who cannot defend themselves. If Mr Momin had guts he should have thrown the question back to the questioner, a Congressman whose party ruled Meghalaya for over a quarter century and is singularly responsible for delaying all projects in the State. The blame game thrives only because we have no monitoring mechanism or penal conditions for delayed projects.

MLAs from Garo Hills have a certain candour which never fails to entertain. Mr Nimarson Momin must have quite forgotten that he was standing and answering queries in the rarified precincts of a constitutional space and was not in private conversation with his brother-in-law in his living room. In the Assembly every question is answered succinctly, precisely and with the seriousness it deserves. There is no such thing as an answer in the jocular vein because every word uttered goes into the historical records of the Assembly, unless expunged and will be read by posterity. Irreverent remarks are out of place.

But Mr Momin must be forgiven for his temporary lapse of memory about time and space. After all, he has completed barely a month in office and the question put before him should have rightfully been thrown at Mr Martin Danggo himself. Danggo was a key functionary of the House during the past ten years. If the MTC bus to Ranikor, which is part of his constituency, was discontinued 15 years ago why did he not address the problem then? You cannot help but empathise with Momin.

Indeed the tables are turned, and how! The very people responsible for the slow-down, the scams, the connivance, the lethargy are today asking why this or that project is incomplete and at times even questioning statistics that has emerged out of the studies they themselves have commissioned. When Ms Ampareen Lyngdoh cited numbers to substantiate the reduction in drop-out rates at the elementary school level in Meghalaya she did not possibly conjure up the numbers. They came from the Government files. Much of the statistics were collected during the previous regime. It is ridiculous to hold the one-month old MPA responsible for the 'pathetic condition of primary schools in the State'.

But questions are to be asked and they must be answered. So this time both the questions and answers in the Assembly are 'de-rigueur'. Newcomers are practicing their debating skills and why not? This is a no-holds-barred Assembly session. Some brand new legislators from the ruling party have held forth for several minutes. So have those from the opposition. The Assembly has become a place for displaying wit, humour and debating prowess. This was missing for a while now. So we are in for interesting times.

Now coming to the most basic issue, which is delivery and performance of the infant MPA, there is much that has happened in a month's time. The State was struck by a queer ailment (meningcoccal meningitis) and quite a few have died. But government doctors were either defensive or in denial until cornered. The brand new Health Minister had his hands full. Then some ministers have been hyper-active at getting things done. When you are used to a system where addressing even a minor issue takes aeons, it gives you a good feeling to see quick action and a system of reporting back within a time frame. This House is fortunate to have youth leaders who were once known for their cacophony of street politics. Now, that is replaced by relatively sober vocalizations in the print and electronic media. The coming of age of Meghalaya youth is complete.

The other day one had a brief encounter with the young Medico-Minister who also heads the Horticulture Department. When asked why the Ri Bhoi and Williamnagar experience in horticulture which has become the talking point of Meghalaya and a feather in the cap of the Congress party, (since it was listed as one of the major achievements of the party in its manifesto), is not replicated elsewhere, the doctor answered that every district would now have a horticulture hub. Does this mean that products grown in various parts of Meghalaya would be brought to the hubs and marketed from there? But should not the Department first think of identifying what to grow where before talking of the hubs? The fact is that not much has been done to promote horticulture in other parts of Meghalaya. So much so, people in lesser known locales are wondering why they get treated like step-children?

I think we have heard and seen enough of Diewlieh. It has superceded expectations. A successful model requires replication and pronto because people can no longer wait. Nor can they continue to grow traditional crops like potato which are no longer viable. The Horticulture Department has a huge task in its hands and the good Doctor as the team leader must show the way. He represents one of the more backward constituencies of Meghalaya where not much has happened in the past several decades. Yet West Khasi Hills has its own potentials. One wonders how much time Doctor Pariong can spare from his Health Department to devote to Horticulture. But he has to balance the scales. Horticulture is Meghalaya's crown of honour. West Garo Hills is producing the best bell-peppers (red and yellow) which are prized table salads, apart from strawberries and flowers. In the Guwahati super markets each bell-pepper costs about fifteen rupees. Meghalaya needs to leverage these exotic products for the maximum benefit of the farming community.

Having said this one would like to observe that this team of ministers, at least the few that one has met and interfaced with do mean serious business. The others will hopefully fall in line. People are giving this Government a long rope. One can only wish that it does not hang itself.

Downsizing the government is one of the bullets that Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has to bite, or rather the bitter pill the government as a whole has to swallow if fiscal discipline has to be enforced. We had for the first time a statement of intent on this from the government in the President’s address to Parliament. The fiscal deficit of nearly 4 per cent of the GDP, the huge public debt and the interest payments on the debt that take away two-thirds of the central government’s net tax revenue, apart from bourgeoning salary bill, together have compelled action.

Despite this urgency, the roadmap to downsizing the NDA Minister Arun Shourie prepared has been shelved for the present though the intent to pare the size has been reiterated. Trade unions are bound to react violently if the downsizing would mean disbanding of workers. They could quote with confidence the Sixth Pay Commission itself to point out that the impression of ‘bloated bureaucracy’ is far from true. Between 1995 and 2005, the number of central governments servants has gone up to around 35 lakhs while that the government’s total expenditure has gone up from Rs. 222,495 crores to Rs. 268,286 crores.

The Sixth Pay Commission that got this question examined in depth and employed two consultants, the IIT, Delhi and the Tata Consultancy Service (TCS), had made certain interesting discoveries. On the issue of growth of the size of the bureaucracy it found that the largest growth of 3.9 per cent per annum took place in the 13-years 1957-71 and then it tapered off to 1.9 per cent till 1984 and 1.0 per cent subsequently till 1994. Thereafter, the bureaucracy bloated.

But the Commission also said, "it would be correct to conclude that the 71.4 per cent increase in the number of sanctioned posts between 1957 and 1971 was probably not justified". The subsequent deceleration in the growth showed that the "government has acted to contain its fat". It added significantly "if the extra pounds have not been shed, at least the rate of growth has been markedly arrested". Even the one per cent rate of growth in the later years was mainly due to increase in the police and other security personnel.

Downsizing has to be viewed as making the existing bureaucracy immensely more productive. The problem with all organisations growing in size would be that they begin to create their own eddy currents that justify more people or rather work expanding to justify jobs, as Prof. Applebee long ago said. This eddy current in administration locks up more people in unproductive work and delays. The IIT, Delhi study of the government working identified the major objective of the administration should be goal achievement and service orientation through flexibility and efficiency. "Decision-oriented, facilitative, flatter, flexible, IT supported, participate and elegant" office structure will have much to do in achieving this goal. Go to any government office of the old type and then visit the Electronics Niketan or NIC headquarters and you will see the difference at least in the office décor. Some of the colonial attitudes like air-conditioned office for the boss, air cooled offices for the deputy bosses and only good old ‘fans’ for the babus is an insult to human dignity. You cannot achieve wonders in productivity sitting in such offices that mock at your status.

If the entire office is wired, files can move from place to place without the help of chaprasis; instead the existing army of chaprasis could be easily retrained to be helpers in keeping the premises and machines clean and serviced at low level. Instead of officers dictating letters to stenographers, speech to text software already developed by the NIC could be used by officers to type, file and dispatch their own memos and letters and stenographers retrained to decide issue at a certain level to provide quick service to the public or formed into a cluster of highly trained support services. Most of these changes are already researched and manual for the transformation already made out or could be made out within one year.

The next thing is to reorganise the process of decision making reducing the layers to the minimum. A flatter organisation with levels of decision making specified must replace the present structure in which every file travels up and down all levels. The TCS study suggested reduction of hierarchy from nine to seven; but with modern management methods it could even come down to three. The advantage would be that the human resource would be better utilised, the people concerned would feel greater job satisfaction, the endless demands for further hierarchical levels of promotion would end and public would get instant service. There is no escape from this anyway as the Internet fever is catching up. Pace at which the Internet is growing would compel such reorganisation as people would begin to demand online service.

N. Vittal, an IAS officer and retired Chief Vigilance Commissioner, says that five steps learnt in industrial engineering should be used with the objective of a big increase in productivity and instant and corruption free service. Some 3.5 lakh jobs are lying vacant; should be scrapped outright. Every department must be asked to undertake a five-step operation that includes elimination, combination, prospecting, sublimation and modification of the entire work process. Like zero-base budgeting there should be zero-base manpower determination at every department level. Where human resource is sub-optimally utilised there should be redeployment to make it optimal. Vittal, by the way is the author of an authoritative report on computerisation in government and a practitioner of open government in every department he worked.

His suggestion to declare an open sabbatical for all government employees is worth considering. This should replace the current rules prohibiting government servants seeking jobs in private sector. Instead, they should be encouraged to go out for three to five years. Till they do not find a job in say three years, they may draw salary in government. Shourie had proposed that being given a severance pay for the years of the service still left. Either way the objective should be to encourage migration. If the performance benchmarks in government were raised high enough, the laggards would soon find they do not fit in and would either be forced to improve their performance or seek work outside. It is the tolerance of a low level of performance required in government that attracts people to stick on even if the job is not satisfying; besides opportunities in private sector are now opening up faster than they ever were. It took almost 15-years in the 80s and first half of 90s to add seven lakh jobs in the private sector; then seven lakh more jobs were added within the three years 1995 to 1998. Environment is also changing encouraging risk taking and rewards associated with it. This is the best time to strike if there is the political will. "If the government has the will to reduce manpower, it can do it" says the Pay Commission. No better comment on the prospects is needed. But the government would be making a major mistake if the entire operation is seen merely as job reduction exercise; what it should be is as a far ranging and total restructuring of governance including restoring human dignity to the government servants in all classes, not the least the humble chaprasis, through workplace reorganisation that will help seamless interaction within corridors of power and between people and an administration that is supposed to serve them. (INAV)

Madam,

It is not at all exciting that our state is attempting to be at par with the metropolitan cities in cases where it is better left untouched. The introduction of traffic lights has confused the traffic policemen and drivers and created traffic chaos in Shillong. Without prior research by traffic scientists how can this project be viable?

It is dangerous to have traffic lights in a hill station because drivers are caught between the traffic lights and the traffic policemen. Drivers are totally confused when the traffic lights signals one thing and the policeman another. To cite a personal example that took place at Rhino point. On the way from Military Hospital towards Kenche's Trace I had to take a right turn from the Rhino Point junction. While the traffic indicator towards Civil Hospital and Kenche's Trace was green, signaling a GO, cars plying towards military Hospital were also plying at full speed for these were obeying not the traffic lights but the equally confused and annoyed traffic police. The two cars were on the point of collision when the traffic policeman blew his whistle and almost jumped in between the cars. Brakes screeched, all hell broke loose. Thankfully nothing happened that day but the poor policeman could have been sandwiched and there could have been a major accident. Late the policeman told me that this has been a daily occurrence and is experienced not only at this particular point but at Civil Hospital point, Barik, Dhanketi to name a few. Hence in spite of the traffic lights, policemen have to retreat to their old duties of regulating traffic. I may sound a little too out of date but as of now I still feel safe with our manual and reliable traffic policemen rather than the machines, for, so far, they have not been safely regulated to man the roads. I still wonder if our East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, B. Dhar still feels that there is nothing wrong in putting up traffic lights?

Yours etc.,
Jenniefer Dkhar
Shillong.

Madam,

Apropos the letter "Registration of Class IX & X students" (ST. April 13, Garo Hills Edition) of D.P. Joshi, I would like to say that the objective of registration of Class IX and X students is to enable the Board to record institution-wise enrolment of students. It is expected that this will help to monitor and regulate unrestrained transfer of candidates without any valid grounds or adequate reasons.

To enlighten the readers, I would like to clarify the following points as raised by the writer:

1. A student, who has registered his/her name in one school, can take admission in another school provided he/she takes prior permission from the Board so as to enable the Board to rectify the registration number in the data base.

2. As regards a student who has registered his/her name in Class IX, the question of registration in Class X does not arise. However, the current academic year being the initial year of registration, both Class IX and X students are being registered simultaneously. For the Higher Secondary (+2) Stage Course, fresh registration of students will have to be done in Class XI.

3. Registration numbers will be valid for the failed students of Class IX, even on their readmission in the subsequent years. However, if a student is willing to change his/her school/centre, the condition at item no. 1 above will apply.

4. (a) The failed candidates of SSLC Examination, 2008 and of earlier years who desire to appear as private candidates (without selection test) will fill up the forms for SSLC Examination, 2009 under the same examination centre as usual by paying registration fees along with the examination fees. Their registration numbers will be generated at the time of printing of Admit Cards. Once registered, those candidates will not be allowed to transfer to other Secondary Schools or Examination Centres.

(b) Candidates, who have discontinued their study while reading in a Secondary School, will appear at the Selection Test to be held in 2008 with permission from the Inspector of Schools subject to fulfillment of all conditions of the Board's Rules. Successful candidates of the Selection Test will fill up the forms for SSLC Examination, 2009 as mentioned at item No. 4(a) above.

(c) Candidates who once appeared and failed at the Selection Test, 2007 or earlier years will appear at the Selection Test to be held in 2008 with permission from the Inspector of Schools .. Successful candidates of the Selection Test will fill up the forms for SSLC Examination, 2009 as mentioned at item No. 4(a) above subject to fulfillment of all conditions of the Board's Rules.

5. Students of the non-recognised schools, who are allowed by the Inspector of Schools to appear at the Selection Test will submit the registration forms through their respective SSLC Examination Centres which have been notified earlier.

6. As regards repeaters, the registration numbers, if already allotted, will remain valid for the subsequent examinations.

Yours etc.,
T.T.C. Marak
Executive Chairman,
MBOSE, Tura

Madam,

Some years back the villagers of Garo Hills were promised by the officer of the Meghalaya Cash Crop Development Board who is now the Director, Soil Conservation that he would give them seedlings, funds and necessary advice to enable them to grow rubber, coffee, cashewnut , areca nut, ginger and fruits. He also promised to sell the products so as to uplift their socio-economic condition The farmers were very interested and many of them submitted applications to the different offices of the Soil Conservation Department .in Garo Hills. But guess what? Till date no help has come to the farmers and many are very disappointed and angry as no officer has come to meet them. Now they are not sure if the office of the Board still exists. They want to know what happened to their money paid for the application forms. We therefore strongly urge the Government to look into the matter in the interests of the simple villagers who have been given false promises

Yours etc.,
Bernard Sangma

Bishalgarh is the third subdivision after Kamalpur and Sadar to have affected by the deadly disease - avian influenza. The Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory confirmed that H5N1 virus was found in the blood samples of death chicken collected from Nadilagh village, about 12 km from Bishalgarh town.

A high level meeting will be held on Friday to chalk out strategy for carrying out full scale culling operation at Nadilagh and its adjacent areas, said Director of Animal Resource Development Asish Roy Barman here on Thursday.

"The culling is expected to start on Friday", he added.

In the meantime, personnel of Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) have started full scale culling operation in eight affected gram panchayats including Kalacherra under Sadar subdivision in the same district. A total of 20 RRTs were pressed into service while 4992 chicks and ducks were culled till 4 pm, the operation would continue for next four days, he informed.

Mr Barman said that the villagers came forward generously and handed over ‘sick’ chicks and ducks for culling.

According to the plan, around 55,000 chicks and ducks will be eliminated during the five-day culling operation and later, mopping up drive will be undertaken.

Bodo Peace Forum is an organisation consisting mostly of former Bodoland Liberation Tiger (BLT) insurgents.

Additional Superintendent of Police M Talukdar said, a former BLT insurgent and now a BPF worker, Rupan Brahma was shot at and seriously injured in his feet as he was walking on the road at Dotoma. (PTI)

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Thursday said his predecessor Prafulla Kumar Mahanta had approached the Congress high command for money to ensure AGP's defeat in the last assembly elections, an allegation which the latter denied and termed as an "undignified statement".

"Yes Mahanta approached the party high command and met senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh for money to ensure the defeat of the AGP," Gogoi told reporters here.

"I am making this public because the people of Assam should know how dangerous Mahanta can be...he does not have any ideology and no right to criticise the functioning of the present Congress government," he said.

Gogoi claimed he had urged the party high command not to make any payments to Mahanta "because of his waning popularity". Reacting to Gogoi’s allegation, Mahanta, who heads the AGP (Progressive), said "It is an undignified statement unbecoming of a chief minister. Tarun Gogoi came to my house when I was chief minister. Will I say he came for money and I did not give him any?" On Gogoi’s allegation that he met Congress president Sonia Gandhi for money, Mahanta said, "I knew Rajiv Gandhi when he was the prime minister and I signed the Assam Accord with him but I never met Sonia Gandhi."

Mahanta alleged it was Gogoi who had paid insurgents and asked for their help to hold the National Games and a one-day international cricket match here peacefully. "We had never made such payments," he said.

"Many political leaders, including Congressmen, come to my house or ring me up. Does that mean we ask for money?" he asked.

Mahanta said national parties other than Congress were trying to align with regional parties. "We have not gone with them. If we wanted money we would have taken from them and not from a second grade national party like Congress. If regional forces unite, Congress has no chance."

Gogoi, on his part, denied his party was worried about the possible return of Mahanta to the AGP. "Why should we be concerned? He is a spent force and has lost relevance."

He said his government was contemplating to reopen the multi-crore letter of credit (LOC) scam that had rocked the erstwhile AGP government led by Mahanta. (PTI)

Guwahati: Bangladesh’s Grameen Bank which has revolutonised micro financing in that country, will set up three branches in Assam this year.

Project Manager, Micro Credit Initiative of the Grameen Bank, Golok Chandra Roy said this in his report to the Deputy Commissioner, Sonitpur district where the three branches would be set up.

According to Roy, officials of the bank have almost completed the preliminary groundwork in league with the district administration. (PTI)