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The Meghalaya cabinet on Tuesday cleared six major agendas aimed at governance reforms, dispute resolution, and financial streamlining.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma was chairing the cabinet meeting. One of the key approvals was the Meghalaya Directorate and District Drivers Service Rule 2025, which formalises recruitment and promotion guidelines for government drivers. The cabinet also finalised a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the newly inaugurated State Guest House at Tara Ghar to regulate room allotment and administration. Additionally, the holiday list for 2026 was approved, in line with the list for the previous year. A significant breakthrough came with the resolution of the Sohra land dispute between the General Administration Department (GAD) and the Ilaka. As per the cabinet's decision, about 128 acres of land will be handed over to the Ilaka, while the rest will remain under GAD's control. On financial matters, the cabinet decided to support the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) by releasing an advance share of royalty to clear a year-long backlog of salaries. An IAS officer will be appointed as Principal Secretary to oversee financial reforms, and an escrow account will be established to ensure the proper utilisation of funds. The decisions, officials said, reflect the government's focus on administrative clarity, dispute resolution, and financial accountability. This comes over three weeks after a mega protest rally was organised in the Tura region of the West Garo Hills district to push the demands of the employees of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) for the release of their dues. Several social organisations, student bodies, and civil society groups together took part in the protest rally to register a strong protest over the delay in payment of salaries. A conglomerate of organisations, including the Garo Students Union and several social outfits, marched alongside hundreds of salary-deprived staff of the district council as they made their way through the main thoroughfares of Tura town. (ANI)
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