ll KHADC laws translated into Khasi for public reading in villages: CEM
Shillong, Jan 19: Deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong has claimed major improvement in the functioning of the autonomous district councils (ADCs) since the NPP-led MDA government came to power in 2018.
“Functioning of the ADCs has really improved during the past seven years of MDA government,” said Tynsong while addressing “Ka Dorbar Iktiar Paidbah” organised by the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) at Polo here on Saturday.
He said the government had created a mechanism to address various issues faced by the ADCs including pending Bills.
Meanwhile, lauding governor CH Vijayashankar for granting his assent to the various pending Bills, he said, “The governor came to Meghalaya just few months ago, yet he had granted his assent to many Bills which are now becoming Acts.”
Before 2018, there were even instances of Bills passed by the district council would go missing on their way to the Secretariat, he said.
He also said that he had first time ever witnessed such a big programme organised for handing over certificates to different categories of village administration under KHADC’s jurisdiction.
“After 2018, Bills passed by the ADCs quickly reached the Secretariat and from time to time the DCA department had multiples discussions with all ADCs on issues pertaining to Bills to ensure their passage,” he said.
The deputy chief minister said the Land Bill, which is now an Act of the KHADC, had further strengthened the land ownership, especially in Khasi Hills region.
“We must remember that the ruling of the Supreme Court in 2019 before the Land Act came to the KHADC. It stated that since land belong to individuals, himas, raids, and clans in Meghalaya, not only the land but even the minerals belong to the land owners.”
Meanwhile, KHADC chief Pyniaid Sing Syiem in his address expressed gratitude to the governor for giving his assent to the these main acts – Administration of Elaka Amendment Act 2023, KHAD Khasi Social Custom of Lineage Act Amendment Act 2023 and Regulation and Administration of Land Act..
There are 54 elakas and almost 5,000 villages under KHADC jurisdiction. There are other traditional bodies such as seng kynthei, seng longkmie, and seng samla shnong within the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region.
“As per one research conducted by Raphael Warjri, there are almost 5,000 clans” said Syiem.
The CEM informed that all the laws of the KHADC have been translated into Khasi for circulation and public reading in the villages.
