Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Shillong, June 19:
The Federation of Khasi-Jaintia-Garo People (FKJGP) has lodged a strong protest with Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr.A.Ramadoss over the "meager percentage of quota" allotted to the state for the MBBS course at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGHRIMS) in Shillong.
With NEGHRIMS' announcement to allot only nine seats of out of the fifty available seats to the locals, the FKJGP in its petition to the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday stated, "The decision to allot only nine seats to Meghalaya is indeed unreasonable given the fact that NEIGHRIMS is located in the State'', while adding, "Out of the nine seats offered to Meghalaya, two seats have already been reserved for the faculty of the institute''.
Alluding to the Regional Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) in Imphal which provides 30% of the MBBS quota to the local populace there,the FKJGP said, this yardstick being applied in terms of quota of seats for Meghalaya is a clear instance of partiality and discrimination to Meghalaya.
The federation has asked the Union Minister to review the decision.
District Council poll: Dumped by the electorates in the March, 2008 Assembly elections of Meghalaya, Boldness Lyngdoh Nongum and Irene Lyngdoh have now found a space in the district council seats of power.
Both these defeated former MLAs, who by virtue of being elected members of the district council (MDC), are now holding the post of executive members in the Clephas B.Syiem executive committee and are holding portfolios of importance.
The district Council has proved to be a rehabilitation house of the defeated Congress ministers and legislators.