State seeks Centre’s help for devp schemes’ execution
SHILLONG: The State government has sought the Centre’s help for timely completion of various developmental schemes initiated recently.
“The state government needs the support from the Centre to augment its initiatives to create more livelihood programmes,” Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma said after his meeting with the Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia in Delhi on Saturday.
“We would want people at the grass root level derive the benefits of the new initiatives and programmes of the Government,” the Chief Minister said.
During the meeting Dr Sangma informed Ahluwalia that the main target will be farmers and the youths of the State who require more sustainable livelihood opportunities after becoming employable.
The Chief Minister said that the Centre needs to work in close coordination with the various Northeastern states for expeditious completion of developmental projects in the region “so that it remains at par with the rest of the country.”
“The region needs more support and more developmental projects should be placed in order to develop the region,” Dr Sangma said. He said that he also called upon the Centre to focus on the education sphere in the North-East by extending teachers’ training and introducing more digital training programmes.
“Our teachers too need constant support to enhance their teaching skills which must be in sync with the changing trends so that they can impart education adequately,” he said.
Dwelling on the prevailing law and order situation in the region with the Planning Commission deputy chairman, Dr Sangma observed that there is an urgent need to extend outreach programmes for skill development for the youths.
“As such issues (law and order) are interlinked with the socio-economic condition of people, we need to develop more aggressive skill development initiatives for the people especially the youths” Dr Sangma reasoned adding “There is a need to review various issues pertaining to the Northeastern states and fill in the gaps which have negated development and growth in the region.”
According to Dr Sangma, in response to the suggestions, the Planning Commission is holding a review meeting with officers of various NE states on Monday to gather more inputs on how to take matters forward in a time bound manner.