I am happy to be here today at the inauguration of the Orientation Programme for the newly elected Members of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly being Organized by the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training of the Lok Sabha Secretariat. I extend a very warm welcome to all of your and congratulate you on your election. The mandate you have received is an expression of the trust reposed by the people in you to project their aspirations for development and progress. Maghalaya is very dear to my heart. I had visited this abode of the clouds in 2010 to inaugurate the 12th North East Region Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (NERCPA) Conference. I was truly mesmerized by its majestic mountains and shimmering lakes. What really struck me was that fact that your State has imbibed the vibrant hues of different cultures in terms of art, literature and music. The respect accorded to women within the society in your State is worth emulating all over the country. Your State is blessed with an abundance of natural resources and a rich bio-diversity of exotic flora and fauna. I deeply appreciate the efforts made to preserve them by involving the local community. The sacred groves at Menphlang are one of the finest example of human beings and nature, coexisting in harmony. While nurturing your traditional values, you are marching ahead on the path of progress. As elected representatives you shoulder onerous responsibilities in our parliamentary democracy. You act as a bridge not only between the public which has elected you and the Legislature of which you are a member, but also between the electorate and the Government. People look upon you as their leaders and expect you to voice their concerns while doings. Finance Minister in his budget speech had admitted that the taxes he has levied are of an exceptional. Here, we might remember that the net earnings could be much more but for the two factors about which the hon. Minister has complained and about which many times questions were asked in the house. I am referring to the ticketless travelling.
