Demand for appointment of locals in FCI

A Reporter

SHILLONG, April 12: The Mawlai Mawroh unit of the Khasi Student Union (KSU) has demanded that there is a need to appoint more locals at the newly constructed Regiol Office (NEF Region) of the Food Cooperation of India (FCI) in  Shillong.

In this, connection members of the union visited the FCI office on Thursday  to meet the General Mager Ashwani KR Gupta and to discuss the issue. However, he was not available in the office. Speaking to reporters after failing to meet the GM, Rapbor Nongrum  general secretary of KSU Mawlai Mawroh, said, “We have received reports that very less locals are employed as cleaners in this office and even non-tribals are operating the office canteen.”

He said that since the office is located in Mawlai, preference should be given first to the locals which will in turn generate employment for them. Nongrum informed that the union will soon set an appointment date with the GM to discuss on these issues. “There are around six to seven non-tribal persons working as cleaner at this office. However, there are only two locals and this is very wrong. With the office located at Mawlai, we had hoped that more locals would be employed,” he said. He said there are many capable locals who can run the canteen in the office. Nongrum informed that 4-5 years ago, before the office building was constructed, there was a discussion with the union leaders in which it was agreed that locals would be given preference during time of employment. However, this has not materialized, he added.