The Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, and Other Backward Classes of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, under the chairmanship of Shri Lahkmen Rymbui, MLA (Amlarem), convened a joint meeting with the counterpart committee from the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Monday, 30th May 2025. The meeting was held at the Annexe Hall, Rilbong, Shillong.

Shri Lahkmen Rymbui chaired the session, which was attended by members of the Meghalaya Committee, including Shri Rupa M. Marak (MLA, Dadenggre), Co-opted Members Shri Shibu Das and Shri Sagar Ch. Das. Also present were officials from the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Secretariat: Shri Raja Kharpuri, Deputy Secretary; Smti L. Mynsong, Committee Officer; and Smti Nicely Kharbuli.

The visiting Karnataka delegation was led by Shri A.R. Krishnamurthy (MLA, Kollegal), Member and Chairman of the Committee, and comprised Shri G.H. Srinivasa (MLA, Tarikere), Shri H.V. Venkatesh (MLA, Pavagada), Shri Gururaj Shetty Gantihole (MLA, Baindur), Shri Siddu Patil (MLA, Humnabad), Shri Katti Nikhil Umesh (MLA, Hukkeri), and Members of the Legislative Council, Dr. Dhananjaya Sarji S.R. and Smt. Balkis Banu.

The Karnataka Legislative Assembly Secretariat was represented by Sri Shivaramachari, Deputy Secretary; Smt. G. Mamatha, Under Secretary; and Sri S. Rajashekar, Section Officer.

The meeting served as a platform for exchanging ideas, policies, and best practices related to the welfare of Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, and Other Backward Classes. Discussions focused on strengthening collaborative efforts and learning from each other’s experiences to improve welfare initiatives in both states.

Following the meeting, Shri Rupa M. Marak (MLA, Dadenggre) remarked:
“Today, we had a very fruitful and insightful meeting with our sister committee from Karnataka. They traveled all the way to Meghalaya, and we had an engaging discussion on the various welfare initiatives implemented by the governments of Karnataka and Meghalaya. We exchanged views, shared experiences, and explored policy frameworks that support the welfare of SCs, STs, and OBCs in both states. This exchange of ideas and perspectives will certainly help us shape more inclusive policies not just for our respective states, but for the nation as a whole.”

The Committee reaffirmed its commitment to further strengthening interstate collaboration for the upliftment of marginalized communities.