Shillong, May 11: Meghalaya Health Minister Wailadmiki Shylla on Monday described the demand for providing land to doctors from outside the state as a “very sensitive issue,” citing the provisions of the Meghalaya Land Transfer Act.
Speaking to reporters, the minister refrained from commenting further on the matter, saying it would not be appropriate for him to take a position due to the legal and social sensitivities involved.
“This is a very sensitive issue, so I think it is not wise for me to comment on that because this is dealing with the Land Transfer Act, where the Act is already in place,” Shylla said.
He pointed out that the issue extends beyond the medical profession and could raise similar demands from other sectors.
“If you talk about doctors today, then what about professors, and other important services will come,” he said.
The minister, however, acknowledged that the state continues to face challenges in recruiting specialists and qualified professionals in the health and education sectors.
“No doubt it is challenging because we have seen that we are having challenges in having specialists, even professors. We are having difficulty,” he stated.
At the same time, Shylla said land availability may not be the only factor contributing to recruitment difficulties in Meghalaya.
“But is that the only reason? I think that might not be. There are other reasons as well,” he added.
The Health Minister said the government would continue examining other aspects related to recruitment and retention of professionals but maintained that he would not comment specifically on the issue of land allocation.
“No doubt we will try to look at the other aspects, but particularly for this matter I think I cannot give comment because it is a very sensitive matter,” he said.
