Meghalaya government is continuously in talks with Centre over issue of ILP, says state CM

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday informed the state assembly that the state government has been continuously in talks with the central government over the issue of the Inner Line Permit (ILP).

Sangma was responding to a question raised by Mawlai MLA PT Sawkmie responded that he had shot a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) twice and besides this one memorandum has been submitted to Amit Shah when he visited Shillong last year.

''We have of course expressed and shown our seriousness on this issue by passing the resolution on December 19th, 2019, and further, it was sent to the government of India on December 23rd, 2019 and I have personally followed up with the Government of India with the Home Minister in writing twice to him reminding about this resolution that we passed and also as a memorandum that was submitted by cabinet when the Home Minister had come to visit Shillong,'' he said.

He further said that continuously the efforts are on his side even at an unofficial level as discussions and talks are taking place but this, of course, is a process and it requires continuous engagement with the government of India. 

''We are trying our best but from our side the government and all the members present in this house the fact that we have passed this resolution is most the serious steps that we have taken to date to show our concern and our stand on  ILP,'' he further informed.

Meanwhile, Sawkmie further stated that the Assembly unanimously passed a resolution in 2019, yet, there has been no progress with the GOI to implement ILP in the state.

He also suggested that he (CM) can appoint a senior Minister and senior officials to pursue the matter, if not maybe entrust the three MPs to pursue the matter.

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