SHILLONG, MAR 8: Governor Tathagata Roy said the government is focussing on enhancing the service delivery in health and education sectors and to make larger investments in physical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, power and drinking water supply.
“Another critical focus is on improving rural livelihoods and promoting enterprises through mission mode interventions in the sectors of agriculture, horticulture, fisheries and animal husbandry,” Roy said in his maiden address while highlighting the key priorities of the MDA government during the first day of the Assembly’s Budget session here on Friday.
Stating it is a constitutional mandate to make collective efforts towards socio-economic development and progress in all spheres, he said the government is also making concerted efforts to imporiving the standards of living of the people of the state through better governance.
On the law and order situation in the state, Roy said the the law and order situation in the state is by and large peaceful and the overall internal security situation for the last one year has significantly improved.
He said various festivals including Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations passed off peacefully.
On the boundary issue, the governor said disputed pockets along the Assam-Meghalata border are being monitored continuously. The administration at the District and local levels of both states have on many occasions actively resolved problems and diffused situations along the Assam-Meghalaya border.
“The state government is committed to completing the remaining fencing on the international border with Bangladesh at a fast pace,” he said.
The governor further lauded the state administration and police for effectively having dealt with few agitations on issues like Inner Line Permit, border dispute with Assam and setting up of entry-exit points.
He informed that the process of setting up of facilitation centres at various entry and exit points to contain influx is in progress.
Expressing concern and condemning the attack of the CRPF jawans at Pulwama, Jammy and Kashmir, Roy said, “We express our deepest condolences to the family members of the deceased jawans.”
Stating that emphasis is given on combating crimes against women and children and human trafficking, the governor said all measures are being taken to ensure safety and security for all the citizens.
He said capacity and competence building programmes have been organised from time to time to equip the investigation officers in handling such cases professionally.
The governor said Meghalaya has become susceptible to cyber crimes and a cyber crime wing has been created under the administrative control and management of CID.
He assured that the state police will continue to remain vigilant and take appropriate measures to adapt to the changing situations for maintaining law and order in the state and for ensuring safety and security.
Speaking on the government’s effort on resource mobilization, Roy said resources have been accessed from the North Eastern Council, Ministry for the Development of the North Eastern Region and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
He said the NEC has released an amount of about Rs 38 crore for the implementation of various schemes during the year 2018-19 while under the North Eastern Special Infrastructure Development Scheme, Rs 175 crore is being provided for six key infrastructure projects.
From the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Rs 35 crore was released under Article 275 (1), he said adding for the first time this year, the ministry also sanctioned 9 projects under the component special central assistance to tribal sub scheme at a cost of Rs 34 crore.
The government, Roy informed, is also implementing two externally aided projects, which are the Meghalaya Livelihoods and Access to Markets Project and the Community Led Landscape Management Project.
On the education sector, the state recently received sanction for setting up of one Ekalavya Residential Model School across each of the eleven districts of the State.
Each of these residential schools, Roy said, will be constructed at an approximate cost of Rs.24 Crore and can cater to 480 students from class VI – XII when fully operational.
The Government is also setting up two new Professional Colleges at Shillong and Tura under the Rashtriya Uchchattar Shiksha Abhiyan.
Three existing Government Aided Degree Colleges are being upgraded to Model Degree Colleges, while two new Model Degree Colleges are being set up under the same scheme.
In addition, aided Colleges with National Assessment Accreditation Council accreditation are also being funded with additional grants under Rashtriya Uchchattar Shiksha Abhiyan.
The Government will also continue to run the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan programme and Mid Day Meal programme in order to minimize the drop-out rate of students, the Governor said.
Informing the House about the Information and Communication Technology Programmes, Roy said, the Government will continue to promote Computer Literacy Programme in the Government and Government Aided Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools of the State.
Moreover, in order to improve teaching quality and to have a pool of trained teachers, Mr. Roy stated that the Government will continue to offer short-term training to all In-Service Teacher through District Institute for Education and Training (DIET).
Speaking on the health sector, he stressed on the Health department’s focus on upgrading and strengthening the existing health care facilities by providing more beds and good quality health care.
Roy also informed the Assembly that the implementation of the Megha Health Insurance Scheme Phase IV and Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana have been taken up to extend the benefits of health insurance coverage to all the people of Meghalaya. Approximately 5 lakh households is targeted to benefit under these programmes.
Moreover, the Ministry of DoNER has approved Rs. 20 Crore for an ambitious State-of-the-Art Diagnostic Centre in Shillong which shall cater to the needs of the poorest of the poor who cannot afford quality diagnostic care, he highlighted.
On infrastructure development, the Governor said, the State has a total road length of 10723 Km with a road density of 47.80 Kilometers per 100 Square meters. Under PMGSY scheme, an amount of Rs. 1450.49 Crore has been sanctioned for 338 schemes covering a road length of 1803.64 Kms during the year 2018-19.
During the year 2018-49, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has sanctioned Rs. 59 Crore for improvement of the six National Highways of the state.
The Ministry has also sanctioned 44 schemes covering a length of 269.24 Km and 4 bridge works under Central Road Fund at a cost of Rs. 322 Crore, the Governor said.
By Our Reporter
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