Delete names of doubtful citizens from MHIS: MLA demands

A list of 28 households (belonging to a particular community) – whose names are doubtful in nature have been enrolled in the MHIS – from Mebitpara village under his constituency was submitted by the MLA to Governor Ganga Prasad here on Tuesday for his intervention.

“I have urge the governor to direct the Meghalaya government to immediately delete the names of these doubtful citizens from the list of MHIS beneficiaries as this will facilitate them to enjoy the right to vote,” Sangma told reporters.

According to him, such doubtful citizens may even use the MHIS card to prove their identity and get their names enrolled in the electoral rolls of the state.

Asked, the former minister said, “The fact is that there are no voters from the Muslim community in my constituency. However to my shock, 28 households have been included in the health insurance scheme. This is a case of doubtful citizens.”

He informed that a similar petition was also submitted to the chief minister Mukul Sangma and the chief secretary Y Tsering for necessary action.

Sangma further demanded strong action against those erring officers who had registered the names of those doubtful citizens in the MHIS beneficiaries list.

On the other hand, he also accused the state government machinery that it has failed in its scared duty to check the doubtful citizens.

“The unrelenting influx of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh into Meghalaya, especially Garo Hills and the consequent perceptible change in the demographic pattern of matter has been matter of grave concern,” the Independent legislator said.

MHIS is a universal health insurance scheme in Meghalaya, utilizing the existing the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana framework to provide health insurance to all person resident in the state excluding state and central government.

Under MHIS phase-III, the state government has enhanced insurance cover of Rs 2.80 lakh for up to five members of a family on a floater basis.

By Our Reporter