Shillong, Dec 9: The Meghalaya government on Tuesday cleared a series of proposals, including the confirmation of services of 221 nurses and paramedics appointed between 2008 and 2012, approval of the mental healthcare rules and reforms in land lease, judicial services and health administration.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the Cabinet formally recognised the appointments of the “bonded nurses and paramedics after a detailed review”.
“Cabinet has decided to confirm and formally recognise the appointments of 221 bonded nurses, as well as bonded paramedic staff, who were appointed between 2008 and 2012,” he said.
Previously, the council of ministers had resolved that all appointments made after 2007 that did not follow the proper procedures and were considered ad hoc would need to be re-advertised for recruitment. As a result, the “bonded nurses were initially included in that list”, the chief minister said.
“After discussions with the Health Department, consultations with the bonded nurses and a thorough review of the documentation, we found that the appointments during that period had, in fact, followed the required procedures. The Cabinet has therefore decided to formally recognise and validate these appointments,” he said.
Fresh recruitment for those posts will no longer be required.
The Cabinet also cleared the Meghalaya Mental Healthcare Rules, which will provide a regulatory framework for institutions dealing with mental healthcare, rehabilitation and allied activities.
“Until now, these institutions have been functioning without a formal structure or policy. With the approval of the Meghalaya Mental Healthcare Rules, we are creating a comprehensive framework to guide mental health services across the state,” Sangma said.
In another decision, the government simplified the procedure for regularising excess areas on government lease lands by delegating powers to the deputy commissioners, the CM said.
Sangma said the earlier system was “tedious and time-consuming” and required multiple layers of approval.
The Cabinet approved the Meghalaya Pharmacists Service Rules to govern recruitment and service conditions of pharmacists, an area previously lacking formal guidelines.
The council of minister also green-lighted amendments to the Meghalaya Judicial Service Rules 2006 and Meghalaya Higher Judicial Service Rules 2015 to improve examination processes and recruitment systems.
Knowledge of Khasi or Garo will now be mandatory for judicial service aspirants, based on recommendations from the judiciary, the CM said.
On the delay in release of over Rs 700 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission, Sangma said the Centre had paused payments to all states pending a nationwide audit mandated by the Union Cabinet.
Responding to Assam’s efforts to promote music tourism, the chief minister termed it “healthy competition” that benefits the entire northeast.
On the recent ED raids in Garo Hills, Sangma said the agency functions independently, and the government would not interfere.
He also said the government is balancing legal enforcement with humanitarian concerns in tackling illegal coal mining, stressing the need to transition gradually towards scientific and safer mining while supporting affected communities.(PTI)
