SHILLONG: Promising the moon is nothing new for the Meghalaya politicians and the replica of New York’s Times Square to come up in Polo here is the latest entrant.
The Shillong Times looks at some promises made by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and his Cabinet colleagues over the past several years.
While some ‘innovative ideas’ emerged after every foreign visit the Chief Minister and the government delegation carried out over the past several years, other promises were made after the visit of foreign delegates to Meghalaya
After a 10-day London trip in June 2010, the Chief Minister made an announcement in Shillong that the expertise of Bradford city football Club in London would be used to train the footballers in Meghalaya which is yet to become a reality.
Besides the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Rowell Lyngdoh, who was then holding the Health and Family Welfare portfolio, several legislators and the then officer on special duty to the chief minister, H.M. Shangpliang had visited London in June, 2010.
After his return, Sangma had told reporters that he had an interaction with the Bradford city football Club in London and they offered the Club’s expertise to train upcoming footballers of Meghalaya.
Foreign investment and tourism promotion were other areas of focus which are also yet to be fructified.
The Chief Minister along with the former Chief Secretary WMS Pariat had visited International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Manila (Philippines) in December,2011 to have firsthand experience on organic rice cultivation.
Even after three years, rice cultivation in Meghalaya is still not organic.
Another repeated promise is that Pinemount like schools will be established in every district headquarters and another venture is setting up of Pine mount International School.
The Chief Minister in May 2011 had announced the Government’s plan to introduce metro cable cars after a presentation made by a company to address the perennial traffic problem in the city.
The Managing Director of the Leading Edge and Airparks Private Limited, Satish Pathania, who made a presentation on the metro cable cars in Shillong had said the company in 2010 had already signed a memorandum of understanding with the Nagaland Government to start cable cars in Kohima for 9.8 km at the cost of around Rs 3.88 crore. According to him, the company had successfully installed metro cable car systems in Venezuela and other parts.
Again in May 2011, Czech Republic Ambassador Miroslav Stasek during his visit to Shillong offered the idea of setting up of mobile (folding) airports in the State and elsewhere in the Northeast.
Miroslav Stasek had claimed that he had discussed the matter with Chief Minister Mukul Sangma who has welcomed the idea and expressed keen interest.
The Czech Republic Ambassador in fact was repeating the earlier proposal of his predecessor Hynek Kmonicek made before the then Chief Minister Donkupar Roy for the introduction of mobile airports in Meghalaya and other states in the Northeast
To address the issue of traffic congestion in urban areas, the Chief Minister during the release of the party manifesto prior to the Assembly election in 2013 said that the Congress was committed to come out with a feasible study for the introduction of mono-rails in Shillong.
Promises aplenty
lTimes Square in Polo
lMono rails in Shillong
lCable cars in urban areas
lVisit of Bradford football Club
lOrganic rice cultivation
lMobile Airports
lPinemount Intl School