From CK Nayak
New Delhi: Following a record victory on the poll planks of development and stability, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma has pledged to carry forward the initiatives which he had implemented in his previous regime and add some more big schemes to supplement the same.
The ongoing mega projects like four laning of the Shillong-Guwahati national highway will be completed within the deadline and so also the much needed Shillong bypass, Dr Sangma said.
He was talking to The Shillong Times in Meghalaya House here before his departure to Shillong for election of the Speaker and formation of the new ministry.
“Four laning of the national highway and bypass will bring a sea change to landlocked Meghalaya,” Dr Sangma said. “Along with this my Government will take up the rail network and expansion and operationalization of both Umroi and Baljek airports,” he added.
“Once proper transport and communication system are in place, investment will come in infrastructure and services sector be it in industry, tourism, power and other sectors,” Dr Sangma said, adding, “These will give a spin to all developments during a stable regime.”
Proper transport/communication and large scale investment will spur overall economic development in the hill state leading to creation of employment in a massive scale, the Chief Minister said.
Employment will be all sectors skilled or unskilled accounting for over one lakh jobs, he added.
“All these put together will result in eradicating poverty from the State for which we are aiming a decade deadline,” he said.
“So far in Meghalaya, the Government is the only job provider for thousands of educated youths which has caused harm to the State itself over long time,” the Chief Minister observed.
Dr Sangma said that the main focus of his government would be to ensure sustained and inclusive growth by addressing the issues of backwardness and poverty through people-centric schemes. Besides all round development the Government would give special attention to social sectors like education, health, culture, sports and tourism, which will open up unlimited opportunities for each and every section of the society in Meghalaya.
Talking about the ongoing insurgency in the State, the Chief Minister said that once development takes place and unemployment is eradicated, the misguided youths will shun violence and come back to the national mainstream.
“Lack of basic necessities coupled with large scale unemployment has given rise to militancy over the years,” he said.