PM sells economy to buy votes

SHILLONG, FEB 15: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday sought to woo the voters of Meghalaya, which goes to the polls on February 23, by tom-toming the rapid economic progress made by the state due to the policies and programmes of the Congress-headed government at the Centre and the effected implementation of the same by the party-led coalition government in the state.

Addressing a thinly-attended election rally at the JN Sports Complex here, the prime minister said Meghalaya had exceeded the targeted economic growth in the 11th plan period, and its plan size had doubled in the last three years to around Rs. 4000 crore. “The state has utilized well the resources made available to it under the flagship programmes of the Centre. Effective implementation of the Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan and the mid-day meal programme has resulted in near universal education at the primary level,” he told the gathering, while complimenting the state government for controlling the school dropout rates at the primary and upper primary levels.

Singh also harped on the massive road infrastructure projects being executed in the state to boost connectivity. “We know that the good connectivity is a critical requirement for Meghalaya. The road from Shillong to Guwahati has been taken up for widening to four-lane at the estimated cost of Rs. 536 crore. A project for the two-lane Shillong bypass has been taken up at the estimated cost of Rs. 226 crore. Both the projects are progressing well and are likely to be completed in the first quarter of 2014,” he said, while also mentioning that the first railway line in the state from Dudhnoi in Assam to Mendipathar was in an advanced stage of completion and the expansion of Shillong’s airport was being undertaken to give a boost to tourism in the state.

Getting personal, the prime minister mentioned the close affinity he has for the people of the north-east. “I have always felt a strong emotional attachment with the north-east and it is a privilege for me to represent one of the north-eastern states in the Parliament. I have considered myself fortunate that the people of this area have always showered
love and affection on me,” he said.

Earlier, welcoming the gathering, MPCC (I) president D. Dethwelson Lapang urged the people to vote for the Congress as it was the only party that will be able to give a stable government. Chief minister Mukul Sangma, while addressing the rally, also sought the peoples’ vote on the ground of stability. “Whenever non- Congress governments have been formed, they have never survived beyond nine months,” he said. By Suraj Joshi