Ready to quit if found guilty, says Radheshyam

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Aug 1

Education minister, Th Radhesyam Singh today informed the House that he is ready to quit if allegation levelled against him, of issuing DO letter for admission of student was found true.

Th. Radhesyam was replying to cut motion moved by the Opposition bench during the voting and discussion hour for education department during the ongoing budget session.

He said there are altogether 16,780 sanctioned post of teachers in the department out of which presently 12,373 are filled leaving vacancies of 4407 post.

Clarifying on the prevailing controversy arising out of recent mass transfer and posting of graduate teachers, he claimed that the transfer was carried out as per requirement and not politically motivated.

He pointed out that altogether 447 graduate teachers were promoted to lecturer by the previous government without any proper assessment.

In addition to that, over 278 teachers were transferred within the period of two months by the end of 2016, he said.

Accordingly, after painstaking assessment teachers from 202 different schools were taken out and posted in 51 higher secondary schools.

With regards to framing of transfer policy, he opined that framing a transfer policy at the present juncture was almost impossible unless a comprehensive approached it adopted.

Nevertheless, the department is doing its best to review the criteria of recruitment of teachers to able to comprehend with the prevailing situation to some extent, said Radhesyam.

In response to the introduction of private school bills, he clarified that it was not to abolish the private schools but to regulate and control private schools particularly from turning into commercial.

Consumer affairs, food and public distribution (CAF&PD), Karam Shyam said that department received several complaints on National Food Security Act (NFSA).

On April 25, 2016 the targeted public distribution system (TPDS) was introduced in the state with a target to avail benefit to 87 percent beneficiaries (24, 84,540). But, the department could avail the benefit to 74.6 percent beneficiaries including AAY, priority households, with monthly quota of 11,786.56 metric tons of rice.

He said that since the formation of the new government, the rice quota of the state has been increased to 22, 54,681 metric tons. Strong instruction was also issued to concerned officials to entire district to expedite all the necessary process including issuance of beneficiary cards in order to achieve its 87 percent target, he added.

Karam Syham further pointed out that the monthly quota of Kerosene is 1456 KL since March last against the previous quota of 1168 KL and added that accordingly the monthly quota for AAY and priority households beneficiaries have decreased.

Maintaining that there was a backlog of 5542 KL of SK oil, he said the state have requested the GOI to give permission to lift the backlog however only 1000 KL could be lifted due to disturbances on the highway.

He said the responsibility of loading and unloading of food grains is the responsibility of the labour contractor and that Rs. 25 crores has been sanctioned by the government to clear the pending dues of the fair price shop agents.

The House unanimously passed four demands amounting to Rs. 1934, 61, 33,000 after the cut motions were withdrawn by the Opposition bench. Motion for disapproval for policy cut was moved by the Opposition in education, Consumer affairs, food and food, and IFCD.

The demands passed by the House are demand No.10 education Rs.1464,68,01,000, demand No.15 consumer affairs, food and public distribution Rs. 57,93,65,000, demand No.38 panchayat Rs. 77,33,42,000 and demand No.40 Rs. Irrigation and flood control.

The MLAs who participated in the cut motions and discussions were AK Mirabai, K. Ranjit, N. Loken, Kh. Joykishan, RK. Imo, Alfred Kanngam Arthur, Surjakumar Okram, Th. Lokeshwar, Dr. Chaltonlien Amo, Md. Abdul Nasir, K. Meghachandra and Okram Henry, S. Bira, Sapam Ranjan.