Shillong, June 25: Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang today assured the assembly that his government was trying to curtail expenditure with no more appointments of chairpersons in the state-run corporations and undertakings. Lapang, who was replying to a cut motion jointly moved by opposition members Nidhuram Hajong and Timothy D Shira (both NCP), on the demands for council of ministers, said earlier there was a huge burden on the government exchequer as many of the chairmen had been given cabinet rank.

He said he did not appoint chairmen for several corporations and undertakings during his tenure.

Stating that he was running a coalition government of six political parties, Lapang said there were 28 cabinet ministers now as against 39 of the earlier NCP government.

Earlier, opposition member M Rava termed the Lapang government as a "jumbosized cabinet" and questioned the requirement of 38 ministers (28 cabinet and 10 ministers of state) in a small state like Meghalaya.

He said while in other states one minister was looking after three to four departments, here the departments were being fragmented to appoint ministers resulting in the increase in their number.

Bureau Report