Conrad seeks amendment to sixth schedule

Strengthening of Garo Council

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

Tura, April 27: Tura Lok Sabha MP Conrad K. Sangma today apprised union home minister Rajth Singh to strengthen Garo Hills Autonomous District Council as per the agreed text of settlement signed with A’chik tiol Volunteers Council (ANVC) and its breakaway faction ANVC-B.

“I have apprised home minister to look into various aspects of the text agreement which has not being fulfilled and also sought for amendment to the sixth schedule to strengthen the Garo council as per the accord signed with the outfit in September 2014”, he said.

“Singh has assured that the text agreement will be in implemented in letter and spirit and also assured that the Sixth Schedule Amendment bill will be taken up very shortly and the Cabinet was preparing the note in that aspect”, Conrad said in the release.

The government is likely to bring up the Sixth Schedule amendment bill in the next session of the parliament, the release added.

He also raised the issue of rehabilitation of the cadres of the disbanded rebel outfit A’chik tiol Volunteers Council and its breakaway faction.

On April 23, the disbanded outfit’s breakaway faction (ANVC-B) had termed the agreed text of settlement signed with the government as “total failure” and had threatened to burn the document publicly.

On the same day, the union home ministry officials had stated at a meeting in Shillong that a lot of progress was made in the implementation of the agreed text of settlement signed with the outfits.

“The agreement with the government is a total failure. Till today, the implementation of the agreement has not been monitored properly by the government,” former ANVC-B Chairman, Berrd Rimpu N Marak had claimed in his release to media.

Marak had blamed Mukul Sangma-led government for the delay in providing the rehabilitation packages to ANVC-B.

Union joint secretary home in-charge North East, Satyendra Garg said a lot of progress has been made as far as rehabilitation is concerned and the central government is satisfied with whatever progress has been made in this connection.

Garg, who held a review meeting with Meghalaya government officials here on Thursday, admitted that there is a delay for releasing of rehabilitation package for the ANVC-B due to some operatiol issues.